Tammy's Father # 1

I wanted to say a few words about the fathers in my life on Father's Day. First of all I wouldn't be here without my father, Ralph Barr. Even though he wasn't in my life much I spent most of my childhood idolizing him and wanting to spend more time with him. Since I didn't know him all that well, I think I idolized the father image of him in my head. I know that he loved me but he made decisions that made it so that we didn't see him much or get to know him that well.

Here is a photo of my father, mother and me. I'm sure that my parents had the same dreams that we all have when we hold our precious children in our arms. I am sad though that they didn't back them up with actions. Parents are so important in the shaping of children.

I do love my father but am sad that I didn't get to spend my childhood with him as I wanted to in my imagination. I also realize that I would have been a different person if I had. Who knows? More on this in the next post.

I love the song by John Mayer "Fathers Be Good To Your Daughters." I think the words to the song say it all:
I know a girl She puts the color inside of my world

She's just like a maze Where all of the walls all continually change

And I've done all I can To stand on her steps with my heart in my hands

Now I'm starting to see Maybe it's got nothing to do with me
Fathers be good to your daughters Daughters will love like you do Girls become lovers who turn into mothers So mothers be good to your daughters too
Oh, you see that skin? It's the same she's been standing in

Since the day she saw him walking away

Now she's left Cleaning up the mess he made
Fathers be good to your daughters Daughters will love like you do Girls become lovers who turn into mothers So mothers be good to your daughters too
Boys, you can break You'll find out how much they can take

Boys will be strong And boys soldier on

But boys would be gone without warmth from

A woman's good, good heart On behalf of every man

Looking out for every girl You are the god and the weight of her world
So fathers be good to your daughters Daughters will love like you do Girls become lovers who turn into mothers So mothers be good to your daughters, too So mothers be good to your daughters, too So mothers be good to your daughters, too