cj Sez: Happy
Father’s Day to all the Dads out there, and to those who can’t be at home
with their family because they are serving our country in far-away places, my
prayers go up for your safe return.
Father’s Day, like Mother’s Day, has a history that goes
well beyond greeting cards. The first known American celebration to honor fathers
happened in 1908 at the Williams Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South in
Fairmont, West Virginia. A Mrs. Grace Golden Clayton wanted to have a memorial service
for the more than 200 fathers who had died in the Monongah mining explosion
that occurred on December 6, 1907. Described as “the worst mining disaster in
American History,” the explosion left some 1,000 children without fathers.
Father’s Day was formally observed in Spokane, Washington,
on June 19, 1910 (the third Sunday in June). It became an annual celebration
there and in some other cities but did not become a permanent national holiday
for decades. In 1966, Lyndon Johnson used his Presidential Pen to issue a
proclamation designating the third Sunday in June to honor fathers. In
1972 President Richard Nixon signed the law declaring Father’s Day be
celebrated annually on the third Sunday in June.
cj’s note: According to a National Review analysis, at the time of the mine disaster in the
early 1900s, fewer than eight percent of kids under the age of ten lived in a
household that didn’t include their biological or adoptive father. According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, today 19.5 million children, more than 1 in 4, live
without a father in the home.
§§
On a personal note
 |
| Eric and Rosa Wed |
My father struggled through a harsh childhood, and I don't remember
that we ever said "I love you" to each other. But I knew he loved me
because of the unexpected and gentle things he would do for me. What
follows is an excerpt from a personal essay I wrote for the
2008 anthology “Christmas through a Child’s Eyes.” It's my favorite
memory of him.
It was my first Christmas in Detroit, and I was seven-years old.
“On Christmas morning, I woke to the sound of music I
remember hearing when I was little. Daddy was in the kitchen, listening to a
radio station that played Swedish music. I slipped out of bed and peeked around
the door. He began to sing in Swedish while he stirred a pot of oatmeal, then
he twirled and danced a schottische around the kitchen. I was overflowing with
happiness at the familiar sounds and sights. Watching Daddy dancing alone made
me giggle out loud.
“God Jul, litet dotter,” he said and swept me up in his
thick arms.
Merry Christmas, Daddy!” I responded happily.
I held tight to his neck and laughed while he sang, as we
spun around the kitchen floor. I smelled his spicy aftershave and rested my cheek
against the coarseness of a beard he could never completely shave off.
He's been gone for a lifetime, and I still miss him dearly.
§§
Son’s photo of a hummingbird, taken on Dauphin Island, AL.
§§
Writerly/Readerly quotes:
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more
that you learn, the more places you'll go.” ― Dr. Seuss
§§
And now a short message from my sponsor:
ON SALE NOW . . . $1.99 until June 30: The Dawgstar from your favorite E-retailer,
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Buy Death on the Yampa at https://books2read.com/u/bxe1AP
The paperback of Death on the Yampa, a homegrown-terrorist adventure,
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The paperback of the international thriller The Dawgstar is
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Buy Now
If you've enjoyed reading one of my books, or any author’s books, please leave
a review on Goodreads or Amazon or wherever. It shares your joy of reading with
others and means the world to the author. Please and thank you.
§§
A note from The Haunted Book Shop …
On Monday (June 21) and Tuesday (June 22), take a bite out of
prime! Bookshop.org is offering free shipping on all orders. Check
out our storefront there at https://bookshop.org/shop/thehauntedbookshopmobile. We do
get a commission on any sales you make through us, but also a slice of it goes
into a kitty split between all member stores, so shopping through bookshop dot
org supports indie bookstores nationwide!
§§
That’s it for today’s post. You-all guys keep on keeping on,
and I’ll try to do the same.
cj
P.S. TO ORDER my books or any book of your choice on-line and
support an indie bookstore, contact The Haunted Bookshop here: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us
If you’d like me to autograph or personalize it for you, be
sure to tell them.
The Haunted Bookshop has re-opened to limited hours (and
they have an awesome bookstore kitty, Mr. Bingley), so if you’re in the Mobile
area, you can stop and shop, too.
➜ Follow me . . .
