The Man My Father Is: A Father's Day Reflection

This past Sunday was Father's Day.

Growing up, many of us experience a similar emotional arc with our fathers. As kids, we idolize them. To us, they're larger than life—the ultimate symbol of strength, wisdom, and what it means to be a man.

But as we grow older, that pedestal starts to shift. We begin to see the cracks, the imperfections. We realize our fathers are human—flawed, complicated, and sometimes wrong. If you're anything like me, that realization came with some headbutting, arguments, and growing pains.

And yet, with time, something else happened.

I grew to love the man my father is, not just the idea I once had of him. He isn’t perfect—we still don’t see eye to eye on many things. But through all of it, I’ve come to understand and appreciate just how much he taught me, directly and indirectly, about manhood, resilience, and self-reliance.

He taught me how to be strong in the face of adversity.

How to be resourceful and figure things out even when I had no idea where to begin.

How to change a tire.

How to use power tools.

How to keep my cool when everything around me was falling apart.

There are many things I do differently than him. I’ve grown into my own version of a man. But I will always carry pieces of him with me—lessons woven into the way I live, love, work, and handle pressure.

If you're lucky enough to have a man like that in your life—whether it’s your father, a stepfather, a mentor, or even a close friend—thank him. Let him know he’s appreciated. Tell him what you’ve learned from him.

Because we both know he doesn’t hear it enough.