Activities: Worship: Heartbeat Dads

"Heartbeat Dads" for Father's Day

"We hear a lot about "Deadbeat Dads", but rarely about the other kind of Dad that lives in a different town or state than his children. I'll call these "Heartbeat Dads". Heartbeat Dads never miss a child support payment, even if all they can afford to eat is peanut butter and jelly and they are living in what would be charitable to call a hovel. And they would gladly give up the peanut butter if their child needed it.

Heartbeat Dads spend all their vacation time with their kids or traveling to see their kids. They wear out their cars on the roads between their daily life and their children. Or they have lots of frequent flier miles. Their phone bills are astronomical.

Heartbeat Dads drop everything and travel to the dance recital, the soccer tournament, the awards assembly, and every other special event they can possibly be at. But they never get to be involved in the small events. They don't see their children's Halloween costumes or the excitement of the first day of school. Heartbeat Dads will never coach their child's Little League or soccer team, or host their daughter's first pajama party. There are thousands of moments and memories that they miss.

Heartbeat Dads get a lump in their throat when they watch another father with his kids. Whenever something fun, exciting or interesting happens, they think about their kids. They will spend many birthdays, holidays, and Father's Days with quiet heartache instead of children. They have quiet, neat and lonely bedrooms in their homes, just waiting for those beloved, messy , noisy youngsters. Heartbeat Dads have a lot of experience with the pain of saying good-bye. On this Father's Day, think about the Dads who miss, and love and worry about their far-away children with every beat of their heart."

by Bonnie Jakubos
RE Coordinator
Pocatello Unitarian Fellowship
Pocatello, Idaho