From the Editor's Desk
The toughest Father's Day
Arthur McLean
I've read about how the holiday season running from Thanksgiving to Christmas can be quite hard for people, especially those who've lost loved ones recently.

I think I have a good understanding of what that's like now. I've never wanted a "holiday" to pass more quickly than this father's day.

It's been six months since my daddy (and yes, that's what we all called him) died. And it's been difficult getting along without him.

But life goes on for the living, and so we do. And there are stretches of time when I don't think about it much. And then I'm reminded, sometimes by something small and nearly insignificant.

And it all comes back to me, the way he looked at the end, the way he never gave up and the way he stayed himself, when he was aware and able to communicate with us. And I feel guilty that it hadn't been on my mind, and that I wasn't suffering the loss for that period of time, had I just forgotten, just like that? No, it's not that easy, but guilt can be an unfair task master.

And now, for the past week, I get constant reminders on the television: the father's day advertisements. They're pure pablum, but that doesn't matter right now where I'm sitting, and I bet it doesn't for anyone else in the same situation.

I can't get through one without crying. Maybe next year will be better. So, for those of you who still have them, do a little something for your dad this weekend. I doesn't have to be anything fancy. In fact, I bet he doesn't want anything fancy, if he's like mine was, he'll just appreciate the thought.

And while I'm on the subject of television ads and dads. Daddy really hated the way commercials had started portraying men over the past few years.

It seems like every company these days has an advertisement portraying men as dunces and irresponsible, overgrown children. There's the one with the know-it-all dad who's really completely out of touch, or the guy never reads the directions, or the dude who's totally obsessed with his car, and the list goes on. And as always, there's the loving woman by their side, keeping them in line. Some of these ads make you wonder if some of these guys would be able to even dress themselves in the morning without help.

Imagine the howls of indignation that would arise if the tables were turned. It's starting to get under my skin, just like it did daddy's. And I know I'm not alone.

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