Dear readers— In honor of Father’s Day this month, we’re pausing our usual act of kindness stories to share reader submissions about dads. Enjoy!
“Growing up, my father took lots of timeto teach me math, even attending nighttime tutoring sessions with me … all to no avail! Fast-forward to me as a single mom, helping my then-young son with his homework, and the lesson was math. Incredibly, I easily walked my son through his math problems, then called my father and let him know that all his hard work had finally paid off! I can still hear the laughter we shared!”
— Debora M. in Cary, North Carolina
“I remember the first fish I ever caughtwhen I was 4½. My dad was fishing with a fly rod and asked me to hold it while he lit a cigarette. I held it, and almost immediately, I felt something tugging on it. I told my dad, and he said to reel it in. I know now that he already had a fish on the line when he handed the rod to me. I’m 76 years old and remember like it was yesterday. That’s the kind of dad I had. Many more memories over the years, but that one stands out in my mind!”
— Bob W. in Milam, Texas
“My father had a small business in our village for 46 years. He quietly provided this ongoing service. At his funeral, people I did not even know came up to me saying, ‘Oh, honey, we never would have had Christmas except your dad said, “Just get things and we’ll figure it out later.”‘ Others told me, ‘On a late Saturday night, we called your dad and he opened so we could get clothing for a family member’s burial.’ Two of many stories showing his quiet dedication, caring, and giving. Those qualities have been powerful models in my life. He took seriously the do good, but let no one know about it! In fact, he’s probably looking down at me right now thinking, ‘She should not be sharing this!’ I was blessed to have him as an amazing role model.”
— Martha J. in Edmore, Michigan
Humankind(ness) is a reader-built corner of joy. So, what act(s) of kindness did you experience this week? Tell us here. And if one of these stories made you smile—share our email (copy URL here).
