Dad, if only you could know how we see you, through our eyes----you would understand our love.

by Kristi Lambert

On this Father’s Day there are so many emotions that flow through our minds and of course, through our hearts. We are all blessed with our own fathers, regardless of how or where they may be. To the dads, grandfathers, the step-fathers, the sons, the uncles, the cousins, the brothers, and the nephews----to all the men including our friends, your child see's you in a way that you never could.

To the dads,

If only you could know how we see you, as a child through our eyes----you would understand our love for you.

We see the efforts that you make, though we don't always say it. We see the sacrifices, the days where you chose your family and your children over yourselves. We see you sleeping on the couch because of your exhaustion, waking up long enough to play catch. The days you go without so that we can eat or the days that you stay up all night putting together the gifts from Santa. The hard days of working your fingers to the bones, to come home and still find enough energy to show up for the play or football game. The days that you offer everything that you can and you still feel like it isn't enough, please know it is.

If only you could know how we see you, as a young teen, through our eyes----you would understand our love for you.

If you could only see how we see you---through our eyes, you would see that you can never do wrong. You can see that even though we know you’re not perfect, we see you as if you are. The love that we have for you is like no other. The days of cub scouts, dance, baseball, football, tap, jazz, music etc., we are so proud to see you there, watching us and cheering us on. On the days you must discipline us, to draw the line in the sand...we see you. Without thinking, we say mean things, though we don't mean them. We see you.

If only you could know how we see you, as a young adult, through our eyes----you would understand our love for you.

The days of broken hearts, and broken friendships, you mend our hearts. You pick us up and remind us of our worth, our value and our strength. The days when there is sorrow and heartache you bring us hope and light. In the darkest of days when you---in fact yourself are broken into pieces, you bring us through, Dad. We see you. You wipe your own tears away and still hold out your hand, to ensure we know you are there, even when your world is breaking---we see you.

If only you could know how we see you, as an adult ourselves, through our eyes----you would understand our love for you.

The days of you nurturing us may be far and wide, no more wiping our skinned knees, no more mending our broken hearts. The days of leaving on the light outside, are gone but the memories are there. The memories are there because you took the time to make them. To be a dad. Taking the time to play, read, and be a mentor. To be a cook, a referee and oh, so, much more. All these and so, many more memories we have because of you dad. So today, no matter your age, your geographical location, whether in heaven or on earth, we thank you, each of you, for being a dad. To all of you dads, far and wide we see you. We see you and we salute you on this Father's Day.

Let's not forget everyone else, who filled in for the dads who couldn't be there.

• To the mothers who have become the fathers, we see you too.

• To the grandpa who raises the grandchildren, we see you. T

• To the stepdad who stepped up, took on the role and saved the children from a fatherless life, we see you.

• To the brothers and the uncles who took in children as if they were their own, we see you.

• To the fathers who searched and never found their children, we see you and your heartache.

• To the fathers who couldn't be fathers, we see your efforts to ensure your child had a good home, even if it meant walking away. We see you.

And certainly not least, but lastly-----most importantly, we see our heavenly father who gave it all-----for all of his children. We see you.