Dear Dad

Editor's note:  I wrote this for my dad four years ago before he passed away.  In honor of my father I re-publish this for Father's Day.

Hi Dad, happy Father's Day. I did not get you a card this year. It's not that I'm cheap (well maybe a little cheap), but I could not find a card that comes close to saying everything I want to say to you. So I figured I would take the time to make my own card right here that would say everything I want to tell you.

Dad, you are my hero and you always have been. When I was young you were the most handsome, the tallest, and the smartest man I knew. In church you were the best singer. I was always proud to say you were my Dad. I spent my young life trying to emulate you, I tried to sing like you, tried to be tough like you, and I tried to show some common sense from time to time.

Dad, you are the standard by which I judge myself, and all other men.

In my lifetime I have been blessed by God with many fortunate things; however I consider having you and Mom as my parents to be the most fortunate event of my life.

I just want to take the time to say Thank You for everything; all the love you gave me, the wisdom you passed on to me, all the time you spent playing catch, or running around so I could play football, or wrestle; and driving to strange airports to pick me up. Thank you for keeping a roof over all of our heads, and food on our plates for so many years. I owe you and Mom a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid in one lifetime. All I can do is pass the love you gave me onto your grand children.

Even after all of these years, I am still trying to be like you. I love you Dad.

Maintaining An Attitude Of Gratitude

There are many people today that are interested in opening their heart center, also known as the heart chakra. The reason they want to open this chakra is to experience divine love, and the bliss associated with it.

There are also many people that are looking to develop a closeness with God that they never experienced before. The best way to accomplish both of these is by learning to give love, to the Divine, and to all of It's children.

The easiest way to give this love is to learn how to return the abundant love we have showered upon us each day by God. This is accomplished by keeping an attitude of gratitude. Nothing induces the giving of love as much as being thankful for the love, and blessings you receive.

For many of us it is easy to find things to be grateful for in our lives; abundant food, a house, a loving spouse, children, and a job are to name a few. Some of us are going through tough times and it may not be as easy to find things to be thankful for, but when you think of it, no matter how rough the stretch of karma you are working through, there are still plenty of things to be grateful for.

Material things are great, but the most important thing we all have to be thankful for is the gift of life. Each and every one of us exists because of God's love for us. I am not talking about this particular physical life you are now living, but the everlasting life we are all assured of by being the Children of God. We are all the Son's and Daughter's of God because we all have been given the Divine spark of consciousness from that part of God we call The Holy Spirit.

There are many names for this part of God; The Holy Ghost, The Bani, The Eck, The Word, The Holy Spirit, and many others. It does not matter what name your particular religion calls It, only that you realize that you are part of It, and that It enlivens you and all life.

Physical bodies will change from lifetime to lifetime as we grow and mature as spiritual beings, but our true self is unchanging and eternal.

By spending a few minutes each day giving thanks to God for the gift of life, and all the blessings and experiences that come with it, you will gradually open your heart chakra to receive, and realize Divine love. You will also develop an attitude of gratitude that will permeate your entire being and help you find the closeness with God that we all are looking for.