This Father’s Day is very unusual to me to the extent that it is not just a day of celebration and recognition for a father. It is a day of becoming that even at the age of 70, the importance of a father to his adult children is still having anchoring effect, to say the least, that manifests the importance and duty of a father to his family in life and for life. Father and children could depend upon each other for life.

My son and I played golf early in the morning. We drove over the border at 06:30, the moment the border guards start working. The golf game was full of fun and competition, followed by checking scores against our handicaps and bullshits about who was better over lunch. We almost chatted non-stopped on the way home resulting in missing two highway exits. The journey was cheerfully prolonged for half an hour and no body minded. Our conversation was not just wacky but also included serious subjects as Jeremy is now managing a Tannery business in Mainland China and sharing my China working experience with him is viewed as a father’s duty. I was particularly happy that Jeremy listened intensely.

Jeremy and his wife, Vivian organized dinner at home and plenty of fresh seafood including an Alaskan king crab, were pre-ordered and got picked up from the market later in the afternoon. Vivian also cooked a roasted chicken, some scallop appetizer, while Jeremy made some Japanese egg rolls. Dinner at home was a marvelous idea that we dispensed with the need to fight for a table in a crowded restaurant and high prices. The leisure and space at home added a lot of pleasure and of course we could all eat together with our lovely dogs, Goffy and Chico. It followed that of course plenty of wine was consumed. The two bottles of German Riesling, Vivian bought were particularly beautiful. I am very thankful to them including Virginia, my wife who together made my day and the sumptuous feast. The joy and love they presented was overwhelming and beyond any father could expect. It was indeed a very happy Father’s day.

It was Joyce, my daughter, who captured my soft feelings on Father’s day. She reminded me that on Father’s day, for all intents and purposes, it is not just the conveyance of sheer happiness that counts. It is the day that the bonds between father and children sublime and are most obvious and expressive. She called long distance from Vancouver to say happy Father’s day. Living abroad, she has never missed calling on Father’s Day. I am of course extremely happy and in fact sort of wait to hear my daughter’s voice. However, this time her voice somehow was remote and sort of with a trace of mixed emotion that only a parent could identify. This immediately reminded me of her troubles encountered domestically in Vancouver. Some issues still await resolutions and live has not been easy lately for her. As a father, especially on Father’s day, my heart cries for her. I felt I just need to give her as much support as possible so that my darling girl will be happy again. I did not say anything more over the phone as I do not want to impart any feelings that may upset her in her mood of wishing me happiness on Father’s Day. I said I would call her again to talk about other things later. However, before I call, I just want to register my intense care for her on Father Day that I would feel better only after putting my love and feeling for her in writing. Perhaps on the next Father’s day when things have changed for the better, reading this message in hind sight will bring more love and joy that a father could get on Father’s day. My daughter, I need you to know no matter what as your Dad I will standby you anytime and anywhere.