I have intentionally avoided mentioning anything on Father's Day for years. It's because my dad passed away on Father's Day in 2002, though the date then was the 16th instead of the 19th.

I'm not a father, and I probably will never be one. I'm an only child so I'm not an uncle either, although I've adopted my friend Scott's kids as my pseudo nieces. I'll never know the joy that many father's have on this day, and of course I'll never be able to enjoy the day with my dad either.

But I remember past Father's Days, to a degree. We never went out for lunch or dinner on any of those days. My dad wasn't the type who liked going out to eat, which is strange since I do it often. I also never really ever knew what to get my dad for the holiday either. I do know that as a kid there was a succession of electric razors, after shave, and even this little golf game once that Dad never touched because we didn't play golf and Dad didn't play games back then.

As a matter of fact, as a child Father's Day was a brief moment in my day, just like Mother's Day, and then we went about our business as if it was just another day. As an adult, having to drive some distance to celebrate the day, it meant a bit more since we'd either sit around telling stories of old days or play a Nintendo game on TV, which Dad got into in the mid 90's.

I haven't said the following phrase since the year before my dad passed away; I certainly didn't say it to him on the day he passed. This means it's been 10 years since I've uttered this phrase, and a part of me feels conflicted as I get ready to write it now. But after all, 10 years is a long time, isn't it?

Happy Father's Day to your father's out there. And to you sons and daughters, reflect on what this day really means because, unfortunately, your father won't always be here.

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