Fatherhood is a wonderful reality. Its rewards are many and designed to last a lifetime. Challenges are also included as children’s behaviors and attitudes can change dramatically causing concerns about parenting joys.

Not every man aspires to being a father for various reasons. It’s not mandatory, but if chosen, must be embraced with dedication, determination, and the willingness to show up each day with a kind heart. Fatherhood is not a job, it’s a calling, a vocation some might say, and it should be only for those who plan to stick around for all the stages, including the less-than-joyous ones. An unknown author coined the sentiment, “Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad.” Becoming a father is a biological situation. Becoming a dad is an honor requiring a lifelong commitment.

In today’s society fathers’ importance is frequently slighted or overlooked. A father is often seen as optional instead of an integral person contributing greatly to a child’s growth and maturation. Granted some men are fathers in name only, while others strive to be role models for the children they love. Good fathers need to be real and present and willing to love even when they don’t feel like it. And they’ll need to make sacrifices for their child. Sacrifice isn’t a real popular word these days, but it’s an essential part of relationships. To sacrifice doesn’t mean being a martyr. It means putting aside personal preferences for the sake of someone or something else, like children who don’t always make it easy to like or love them.

Kudos to those men making the decision to love and care for a child who isn’t biologically theirs. Genetics is not necessary to be a dad. Sometimes biology and genetics complicate a simple equation. A real dad chooses to share his life with a child regardless of the details concerning that child’s conception or birth. May special graces be granted to that man who promises to love, discipline, praise and teach another’s child. He is a “real” dad even without shared genetic traits or physical features. And the child is his because love is the connection, not a name on a birth certificate.

Some children have more than one dad and if all are respectful and supportive of the child, the relationships can flourish. Parenthood is not limited by the many details that adults are often encumbered by, while children don’t necessarily realize any of those complications. Being a dad is an amazing privilege. Some days it might feel like a heavy burden, and it can be, but raising a child is a process that takes many years. Childhood is a learning time for both parent and child, requiring faith and perseverance to live one day at a time, always believing and trusting in a beautifully positive outcome. Parenting includes the unique opportunity of investing in the future, and trusting that discipline and love in generous measures through the years can result in a beautiful conclusion of childhood.

Father’s Day doesn’t receive the attention given to Mother’s Day, but for those who have experienced a Dad’s love, it’s a time for gratitude and celebration. That special Dad deserves to be acknowledged and appreciated and not just on the third Sunday in June.