Happy Birthday Dave -- REPRINT: for your Reading Pleasure

Stepfather Day International
by Pat Darnell



If you are a man with a stepchild, please step forward, MooPig wants to put a medal around your neck. Yes, MooPig wants to proclaim today as Stepfathers Day International... the first of its kind. It is unkind to exclude the third oldest profession, that of step-father-hood.

I haven't looked yet but if there isn't a day for step-parents, then there ought to be. Joseph was a Stepfather. It would seem that the profession has had a bad rap in too many mythical dramas, and some non-fictional arenas as well. If that is the case then how is it that the first family of Christendom had this issue from the very start?

Was Joseph a cuckold? Was he outwitted by a "cause" that is bigger than he? What of the workings of the Holy Spirit, was that a tryst?

In grand schemes that cannot be seen while one is going through them, the ends proved the means, as evidenced in the case of Joseph, who is father of Jesus's half-brothers and half-sisters. Jesus did turn out to be the Son Of God and Son Of Man.

What took hold of the big carpenter fella, Joseph, when he discovered the pregnancy of his fiance, Mary, is the reaction I am looking at. I think Joseph became frightened just as any good step-father becomes.

And because MooPig cannot do anything with a fanfare of grandiosity, not in our budget, ...To sponsor a Day of Recognition means it applies universally.

Without going all micro-analytical -- we think this simple gesture -- to give a nod out to the step-fathers this month -- will make a bold statement. Therefore MooPig this morning chooses to go acutely sentimental and present this from a step-brother-blogger from another mother as inspiration to all "steps" --

"When my daughter comes home, she sometimes relates a story about how Richard did a nice thing for her. How you took her miniature golfing, let her steer the car in the parking lot, took her out for ice cream.

"His name is Richard and I hardly know him. Although we share fatherly duties, we share very little else. I know his birthday and his last name. We hardly ever talk beyond the handful of sentences a year at school functions or when calling my daughter over the phone. What do you think about my daughter? Does she make you happy with her vivacious ways? Can she make you laugh with her jokes? Do you hurt inside when she cries? Do you read her stories when she goes to bed? You are a mystery to me, but of the few things I do know about you I am grateful.

"She thinks your parents are great, and she loves the horseback riding lessons your job helps buy her. It’s not hard to see that she has come to love you in a special way as a very important member of her extended family.

"I know the difficulty you must have experienced with her in the beginning because, you see, my daughter has a stepmother, too. It was hard for all of us to get used to the changes whirling around us, especially her at such a young age. Only time and patience has helped heal old wounds. I just want to encourage you not to take it hard whenever my daughter gets upset about you. She does that to me and her stepmom, too! It’s all part of growing up -- no matter what one's age." (Wohlmut, Tom; no date. excerpted 06/20/2008)