Father’s Day Smoothie

I love it when my wife makes smoothies...mostly. My favorite is banana but I’ll take any flavor that uses ice cream:) That doesn’t usually happen. She tends to make “healthy” smoothies, which means there is probably something green in it!

Father’s Day is like a smoothie for fathers. The ingredients may start out sweet and scary. Being a dad is wonderful, but when new dads think of the future, they wonder if they are up for the task. It turns out nobody is up to the task! You learn on the fly and sometimes a fly gets in the smoothie!

Later, bitter ingredients are added: disappointments, mess-ups, etc. Too many fathers experience divorce and separation from their kids. Some fathers, along with mothers, experience the brokenness of estrangement. Sometimes the grandchildren are kept away from them and they feel a pain in the heart that can’t be described. Sometimes, there is an addiction in the child and/or father.

There are wonderful ingredients for watching the children grow and accomplish great things. To feel the hug around the neck and hear them whisper in your ear, “I love you Daddy.”

Smoothies are made up of opposing tastes, much like an orchestra where the instruments make music of tension when tuning up, but when the music comes, oh what a beautiful sound!

Men are dealing with different flavor smoothies on Father’s Day. Many enjoy the day, while others try to avoid it, perhaps for the reasons above and a difficult relationship with their dad.

Fathers, I hope you will be kind to yourselves. Yes, the Father’s Day smoothie has some bitter ingredients, but the sweetness can outweigh the bitterness. And when it is said and done, you will be glad you partook.

I guess you can say fatherhood is like life.

A smoothie toast to all the fathers today!

© 2020 Wally Johnston