Hi John,

My name is Bob and Denny is my dad. He is also my best friend.

He's also the best pillow I ever had.

Growing up, Father's Day was special to me because it meant celebrating my dad. Usually, we "celebrated" by giving him an extra hard time. But we made sure he knew how much we loved him; the day generally finished with a maple bar (or two!).

As a son, I appreciated my dad*. He always worked hard. Every day. Regardless of what job he had. Growing up, I watched as he helped our family, neighbors, our state, and our country. He showed me the importance of service both at home and in our community. He showed me how important it is to show up and do your part.

Hard work or not, though, Dad was somehow always there when my brother or I needed advice or support or a good joke (or a bad joke). He always seemed to know what to say to get me back on track and moving toward the kind of man I wanted to be.

The words mattered, but Dad didn't just tell me what makes a good man; he showed us every single day. He still does. His life has been one long statement on the importance of serving others, honesty, compassion, and civility.

And even though he made it all look so effortless, my father guided me with patience and wisdom. He knew as a kid it wasn't always easy to be honest, or to show respect and compassion for people we disagree with. So, while he set the bar high, he also gave me the support I needed.

As a son, I understood that these values were important to him and our family. Now, as a father, I want my own family to grow up in a community and a world that embraces service, honesty, compassion, and civility. As I try to pass along those values, I'm so grateful that my own dad has made a career of actualizing them. What's more, I finally understand how hard my Dad was working to live those values, not just for himself and our community, but for me.

Now that I'm both a father and step-father, today has deeper meaning. Today, when I celebrate my dad I am also celebrating a fellow dad – a damn good one.

So today I have a new message for my dad: Thank you for being the best father a son could ask for. Thank you for getting up every day and working so hard on behalf of our family, and our entire state. Thank you for making the world a better place for your grandchildren. And, thank you for being my best friend. I love you, Dad.

Happy Father's Day, John. I hope you're able to spend it with the people you love.

Bob

* Ok, I didn't always appreciate him so much when I was in trouble.