Good Dads I Have Known

I was reminded this week of the many good dads I have met in my life. Some of them are loving, caring dads because they had an excellent role model. As my brothers did. I’ve written here before about my dad Monroe and how blessed I am to have been raised in a Christian home.

I am happy to say that all my grandchildren (and my great-grands) have super dads —  involved in their kid’s lives, encouraging, patient, wise when they need to be.

Last weekend was spent with the Quade family and, watching that family interact, I thought of an incident years ago — an example of Jim Quade being a sensitive dad.

On a visit to Oklahoma, we had driven to Enid to watch grandson Matt play baseball. We were driving home along a two-lane state highway, Jim driving. He pulled out to pass a car and Amy (about 12 yo) said, “Dad, you can’t make it.” And he pulled back in line!

Now, what is often a driver’s reaction when a passenger does a little back-seat driving? Isn’t it usually to prove that we after all are driving this car, we know what we’re doing, we can too make it and we’ll prove it, even if we scare the pants off everyone in the car and give Grandma, riding shotgun, a heart attack.

No. Jim just pulled back in line. He didn’t have to prove anything to his 12-year-old daughter. He cared more about her comfort and safety than about being “right.” He didn’t have time to think it through … it was instinct.

But he did prove to this Mother-in-Law that he is a wonderful dad.

Happy Father’s Day, Jim, Steve, Mike, Chris, Ron, and Matt.