Wednesday, June 15, 2011

A Good Father


So, Father’s Day is coming up on June 19th.  This event has been low-key in our household for the past seven years.  There has been no attempt at a replacement. 

I can imagine how it must feel for some families to celebrate Mother’s Day or Father’s Day in a home divided or where one parent has passed away. 

In the novel The Year of the Rabbit, we are introduced to Matthew Fletcher, father of Sera and her older siblings.  Only a handful of people had been aware of Sera’s true paternity.   After Marie passes away, her hidden letter of confession reaches Matthew via an unlikely  messenger.

I like to think of Matthew Fletcher as an ideal husband and a good father.  He was gentle and loving with his children.  He was forgiving of his wife’s wild behaviour.  He performed honest work as a carpenter and cabinet maker.   He also reached out to others in his community.  I think I wrote about my ideal man o_O.

His son Daniel on the other hand, helped to make baby Harry but conveniently disappeared from the scene after he was born.  Sure, he sent money to help support his child financially but he chose not to return to Seguin Sound or marry Amy.  She as well was not eager to marry him.  She had found another lover.  Harry was about to be raised in a non-traditional family.

I’m posting this well in advance to Father’s Day because of a technology article I came across a couple of days ago.   For Father’s Day 2011, GeekDad is asking you to join them as a willing participant in the Disconnect to Reconnect Campaign. The event is being promoted by author Phil Cooke, who is challenging dads across the country to disconnect your digital devices for 24 hours and reconnect with your family.

Since the novel takes place in the early 1970s, I think that’s a great idea.  No Internet.  No cell phones, web sites, Twitter or Facebook.  Just make sure you have read this post before Sunday.  Share it with others.  Make a comment. 

To all the good fathers out there, have a wonderful Fathers’ Day.  Enjoy your time with your family. 

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