HAPPY FATHER'S DAY 2009!

In any society, be it modern, medieval or ancient, fathers have had a significant position. There may be several relationships in a child’s life but not a single one of these can be a perfect substitute of a father-child relationship. He is a guide, a philosopher and more than that, a dear and most reliable friend of the child after a certain age. A child is being helped by his father to set his or her aim in life. Then he helps us in selecting the just ways of attaining our goals in life. Again, when someone gets too tired of the weariness and doldrums of life, his/her father is always there to offer the shoulders of a friend where we can rest for a while.

There is every reason of celebrating such an important relationship and Father’s Day has been designed for this purpose. It was an ancient practice of worshiping ancestors including father and mother. This tradition was maintained by the following civilizations. In the modern society, people started celebrating Mother’s Day first. Gradually, the civilization understood the necessity of Father’s Day too. Although the efforts were made in the early 20th century but it was in 1970s only when Father’s Day was recognized officially in the US by President Nixon. Gradually most of the countries acknowledged Father’s Day and started celebrating fatherhood.

Now the question is that how much significance does Father’s Day get in the modern society. Firstly, while measuring its significance, we should not compare it with Mother’s Day because it is a different occasion. A mother perform the divine right of giving birth to a child and then of nurturing him or her. This is obvious that mothers will get the special treatment. At the same time, it is also true that a father performs an important role in nurturing and raising a child and this role should also be acknowledged. In today’s society, we acknowledge this responsibility through Father’s Day.

The significance of Father’s Day is related directly to the position of a father in the family as well as in the society. Every child needs both father and mother in order to get a good mental health. In the primary stages, both father and mother remain responsible for taking some important decisions related to the education and growing up of the child. At the present time, most of the countries have patriarchal societies and because of this the fathers play the leading role in taking the above mentioned decisions.

All these and many more make a father very significant in today’s modern society and because of this, celebrating this relationship and this responsibility is very significant today. Like any other part of the world, Philippines also celebrates Father’s Day with full enthusiasm. This enthusiasm is well expressed by different kind of gifts and greetings that are sent on Father’s Day.

To you my Sweetheart and to all fathers in the world: Happy Father's Day to all of you! May God bless you all and give you the strength and wisdom to be the Father that God has called you to be...

From both of us,

Ary and Little Tam

Live... Love and Be Blessed