Fathers

So many expectations for Fathers.
Which ones are yours?
They will be strong yet sensitive.
They will provide, like the tooth fairy- without being seen or heard.
They will have good answers- but not share them too frequently.
They will fix any and all problems, but leave us alone.
They will always be there until we don't need them.
They will be loving, sacrificial, faithful, helpful, present.
I have been thinking about Fathers already since the loss of my brother, leaving his adult children bereft.
My own Father was gentle and kind, like my brother. He tried to fix anything, including my Mom's emotions and anxieties. He invested a lot of time in me as a young girl- reading to me, playing games, just being with me. He was not always there for me, though it was not his fault. He died shortly after my divorce when I really needed him and I felt an orphan.
As my nephew said recently about his own Dad:
"He only had 3 cents to give, but he gave all he had. It was not enough but it was all he had."
The last expectation on the list is the one God meets.
He never dies.
He says he will never leave me or forsake me.
He is all knowing.
He is all powerful.
He is ever present.
He cares about me, even loves me beyond measure.
My Father let me down and my brother let his kids down. But God will never let me down.
You go GOD!