A Message of Love
I had the wonderful honor of delivering a special message for Father's Day on my good friend Glen Danles' Facebook show, The Sunday Goodtime Hour. The weekly program offers up good vibes in the form of great music, comedic relief, interesting interviews, spotlights on people making meaningful contributions as well as food for thought. Glen is working to build an inclusive community through his programming. Be sure to check out his page on Facebook: @roaringtwenties2020!
Here is the transcript of my message:
Reflecting on Father's Day for this message of Love and Light, I have some observations for your consideration.
I spent some time thinking about masculine roles and what associations come up when we use the formal moniker, "Father". Depending on your relationship and life circumstances, this can be either a positive or negative association. It's often a mixture of complicated life experiences and emotions riding just beneath the surface.
I think about the ideas we have around traditional feminine roles, which often come through as nurturing, vs. masculine roles of strength. What I have observed, however, is that there is crossover; a duality in all of us. You cannot have one without the other. To that point, the strongest people are able to display a vulnerability that allow them to lead by way of:
strength of character
a strong moral compass
strong convictions and
strong values
Looking deeper, the best leaders offer life lessons as a radical act of love. They challenge us to do and be better for ourselves, others and our communities.
For those of you who have never had a Father in the traditional sense of the word, and for those whose Fathers have passed on, what is left behind is often a void; a missing piece of the puzzle. What I would challenge you to consider, is the concept of Father. Strength of leadership can and does frequently show up as a mother, a grandparent, an uncle, a teacher, a neighbor, a friend, or a spiritual leader. It takes an open mind and heart to recognize the strength and lessons available to you embodied in these forms.
In my own life experience, I'm blessed to say I have a biological father, two step-fathers (one who raised me from the age of 3 and the other who came into my life as an adult) and a father-in-law. But I can tell you, there was a time when saying that felt overwhelming. Like love was finite and only one could hold the title of "Dad"; a competitive prize to be won. What I came to realize over time is that each of them have enriched my life in unique ways.
I can say that the life lessons these men have led with have collectively worked together, like a beautiful song. Each one has a piece of my heart. They have inspired me:

to have an open mind
to pursue new experiences that challenge me
to have curiosity about people, cultures and the world
to love and respect nature
to stand up for what is right
to apologize when you are wrong
to honor commitments
to love learning
to believe in myself
to be fun-loving and
to be dedicated to family
They have also shown me:
kindness
patience
humility
honesty
accountability
work ethic
honor and, above all,
LOVE
Today, I offer my message of Love and Light by honoring and thanking all of the Fathers, stand-in Fathers and persons who are role models for how to show up in life. Your strength and life lessons are a gift of leadership and love in the world! Thank you.