A carbon copy

Happy Father's Day!

When we all go back home for the family vacation, my brother and I will almost daily here words like:
You remind me so much of your Dad
I can see your Dad in your eyes
You look just like your Dad
Your son is a carbon copy of your Dad at that age

It seems to be a joy to those who were so close to your father to see his look in your eyes, to hear the similarity in the voice, to see his walk or the way he talked, or to recognize the wit or sense of humor. Even after our Dad's are gone, we can often feel them close at hand. You can almost hear the quiet word of warning or the whisper of encouragement. It's amazing how close we still can feel, seeing him through the faces and lives of our loved ones. We see his likes, his dislikes, and the many traits passed on through the kids.

Today, I thought of the Rodney Atkins song "Watching You" and you can see the music video from this blogpost today. This song reminds us that our children are often carbon copies of our lives -- not only the physical traits that are so recognized, but also the habits and behaviors that we may or may not wish to be portrayed.

As posted on YouTube by BlazingSky2006

Today on Father's Day, a challenge for us all: remember the influence we have in the lives around us. Our sons, daughters, nieces, and nephews are indeed watching us...learning from what we say and what we do...learning from what we don't say and what we don't do as well.