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| James: Spring |
The other day I was addressing Father's Day with our daughters and as usual; they were stumped as to what would be fitting for their daddy. He's not the easiest person to gift and his standard reply would be rather vague. Marathon phone calls with them are his favorite. He enjoys the bantering and dispensing advice as requested and delighting them with his 'corny' jokes. Oh and music...he's been back with his group "The Valentines" which he gave up years ago after a few recordings. They along with other well known artists were celebrated in Nashville for their participation in "Night Train to Nashville" which heralded all the soul artists that came out of Tennessee from 1945-1970. In fact, it was a red carpet affair held at the Country Music Museum and the CD won a Grammy in 2004 for best R&B historical recording. Our daughters got a chance to see and find out more about their father as a young man who had hopes of being entertainer extraordinaire while matriculating at TSU. We met at the latter and I must say the 44 years I've known him; 42 of them as his wife; he continues to amaze me with his energy, resolve and creativity. The 10 yr. old boy in the above picture was described by his mother as quiet, intelligent and somewhat 'sneaky'. She hastened to add that he was a good son and made her proud. Lākie and Rev. James L. Moon, {both deceased} are to be commended.
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| James: Summer |
In 2011, I did a tribute post to my stepfather on Father's Day for I viewed him and others that take on the role of Dad as overlooked or as having a 'bad rap'. I did another post on what "Men of Vision" meant to me. The unsung men in our communities whom we see everyday and know, yet, they are overshadowed by the hype of those who disappoint us. Balance was the buzz word. We know and hear constantly about those who perpetuate the worse of humanity and I wanted to showcase the men who make us proud. This personal tribute is long overdue for sometimes those who are the closest are not so much taken for granted as they create a normalcy that meets our expectations as to what are the characteristics of a good father. We don't compare or overthink the concept....it just is!
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| Kamilah, Niya & Lākie |
*Reminiscences of Our Daddy*
James Lawrence Moon Jr., I am so proud to be your daughter. I am so
grateful for every thing you've ever said or done for us, for your
steadfast love, patience and guidance. I love and accept the man you
are - outside of your immense role in our lives. I pray for your
continued health and for your personal fulfillment. My sisters and I
are extremely fortunate to have you as our father and friend!
Kamilah
Thank you Dad for
being such a dedicated Father, for being a friend....from when you would
sing to us and teach us songs to stay safe ("watch your hands, watch
your feet, watch your shoulders, watch your seat") to taking me to
cheerlead at wrestling matches, violin practice, and coming to my rescue
when I was in a crunch with my would-be first apartment in Baltimore.
I love you for the sacrifices you've made for me and the support and
hugs.
Niya
Dad, I want to thank you for being the best Father and taking care of us all these years and even now accompanying me to the fitness gym and keeping the motivation high as I challenge myself to lead a healthier lifestyle. "Always There" is my theme song for you.
Love,
Lākie
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| James: Fall |
Happy Father's Day James and I must say that I've been very
impressed during the seasons of our life together on how you took on
that role and made three young ladies happy and secure with your love.
By
the way, there are a few articles related to Father's Day that I think
should be read. There are some who state that we should honor them 365,
however, I don't see a problem here for we can do both. We can honor
them every day and still set aside a day of recognition. One doesn't
cancel out the other. This perspective also pertains to Mother's Day
and or Valentine's Day. We don't have to box ourselves in an either/or
stance. "Many things are true at once". Love that quote.
Links:
'I Am A Father'
'Single Black Dad: You Can't Take My Child'
'Bytes and Bytes: Father's Day - A Day of Honour'?
