Continue with onX Maps
Continue with Facebook
A Dad's Hands: to all of you "fathers", whether you realize it or not!
 A Dad's Hands for Nate, whose first child is due in July 11/31/2020 bump...for Nate, whose second son was born this afternoon. A dad's hands can... cradle a newborn tucked on his arm, ready for the end zone, or, the handoff to Grandma. A dad's hands can... throw his little girl so high in the sky she squeals with joy, or, catch his little boy flying off the slide head first. A dad's hands can... Steady his son's soul when his heart is broken, or, steady his baby's steps as she walks down the aisle. _______________________ These days, at 60, my hands share my dad's arthritis. He's been gone a long time, but I think of him often, as his face looks out from the mirror. My dad's hands... taught me to shoot before I learned to read, and, a love of reading that has lasted a lifespan. My dad's hands... taught me to chop down trees with an axe, and, hand carve wood grips for pistols. My dad's hands... taught me to build with what you have on hand, and, be open handed with those who have less. -------------------------- The photo above is the only one I have of my dad's hands....both of them. Intact. The middle two fingers of his right hand were shot off in WWII, when he was returning fire with his pistol. A quiet second birthday was celebrated every year on the day the fingers saved his life. When I held my dad's hand, it was his right pointer finger, massive and calloused. It curved toward the pinkie, and with his thumb, he learned to do everything again, with his right hand. Except shoot a pistol.
His hands, are my hands. Old, calloused, working hard. A dad's hands.
Happy Father's day to all, best, OLH
|
|
Thanks Helen; that was pretty nice. |
Bill Czajkowski wrote: Back at ya! ;-) H. |
|
Just a bump to post this today. :-) |
|
Bump, to all of you guys out there, making a difference in the lives of young people. Dads or not, you are heroes. Thanks! |
|
that's really nice helen, |
jason oliphant wrote: that's really nice helen, Thanks! The Sasha thread reminded me I wrote this last year. She spoke of not so pretty hands, and I remembered. My hands are definitely sculpted by who I am! Best, OLH |
|
Bump, for Father's day coming up, thinking of my dad, but also my husband. RIP guys. You are still special to your kids. |
|
A Message To All Dads |
|
Happy father's day, guys! Each and every one of you who fills that role for someone! |
|
What a wonderful gift for you father (and for all of us). |
Not Hobo Greg wrote: My dad’s dead so fuck you! Just kidding, he is dead but no fuck you. My dad died decades ago. My mom is dead. My husband's parents. My husband..... This was written after a misunderstanding with Hank Caylor, of all people. He thought I said one thing, I meant quite the opposite. It somehow hit him very hard. I was thinking about all the people out there who help others younger than they are, those standins for "dad".And, I'm looking a lot like my dad these days. Sorry if this hit wrong, Not Hobo. Best, Helen |
|
Thanks, Helen... Really touching for those of us who ARE dads and who miss our dads so much... Mine, too, like yours, has been gone for 15 years now. I'm 64, my kids are in their mid-30s, and I reminisce (much) more than I used to. I remember my dad in the mid 90s hiking up with all 3 of his kids to the base of Glacier Point Apron, watching us climb and saying how he got vertigo just being at the base level looking out across the Valley, but fully happy and supportive of our crazy new adventures. Climbing in Yosemite the last few days (E. Buttress Middle Cathedral again after 25 years!) has brought it all back, memories flooding in like crazy. So, yeah, like Helen says: HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, dads! We appreciate and need balance, mature, tolerant masculine energy... |
Not Hobo Greg wrote: Thanks for clarifying! I read the "no" at the end of the sentence as cancelling the "just joking" part and keeping the "fuck you". Kinda stung. But, that's how internet works, sometimes, eh? Best, Helen |
|
That was a nice post, OLH. |
|
Helen, |
|
A bump today, for Nate, whose second son was born this afternoon. Love ya sir! And for the rest of us? Well...we muddle along. Life is what happens while we're making plans. H. |
|
Father's day weekend has snuck around again already, sheesh. I still like this piece, hope you do too. Have a good one, all! Best, Helen |
|
Helen, reflecting on your gracious words and thoughts; from my story I had a number of mentors who stepped in and I struggled to emulate. It simply is the bond that is forged and and shaped daily in words, experiences and adventures. Father’s Day on The Split Pillar, with my rope gun son. An invitation to be “guided up” Outer Space by my youngest son. Watching my oldest grandson skiing in the Far West Regional championship and being Instagram buddies where I can see there baseball games. Bruce Cook and I doing our first hammerless ascent of any climb on Bears Reach when I was in my early 20’s and he was “over 50”. And all those others who just were thoughtful people. Glad there is a touchstone day but every day is one. |
|
Wow! Father's Day weekend, already! Annual bump, and, this is for all of you who fill the role, even part time, even once in awhile. It makes a big difference to know someone cares. Best, Helen |
|
5 years old, I still like this bit of writing, so here's a bump. Plus, I am just back from City of Rocks, where there were some truly heroic dads (and moms) dealing with really extremely challenging weather. In a couple cases, truly dangerous. Mid climb when the storms, lightning, and hail rolled in, one party on Bath rock frontside, almost topped out, and another up on Sinocranium (yikes!!). Hats off to our climbing dads, and all others who fill this role! Best, Helen |
