A BIT OF LOVE FOR TOM ON FATHER'S DAY

Tom taught me the importance of family. Coming himself from a large, close-knit brood, his desire to have his own strong family bond was always a top priority. It was, and is, one of the things I admire most about him.


When each of our four children was born, we took a lock of their hair and buried it beneath a tree in our backyard (an old Native American custom) so that even as each sprouted wings and flew far away; we knew the roots held their spirit firmly in place so that they could always find their way back home.

It was, of course, a metaphor for how we raised them: we wanted them to learn to 'make their own way in the world', while at the same time keeping family and home something sacred.

Our children are all grown now, and we don't see them as frequently as we once did, but, Tom and I often marvel at how each one still holds our family bond fiercely close at heart.

It was one thing we did right. (: