SELECT * FROM Shane

It’s been a long time since I last posted on this blog. But I had to post about my very first ever Father’s Day. Here’s how it went down, and here’s why it was one of the best weekends of my life.

On Saturday, after a lovely sleep-in, Annie and Katie presented me with my Father’s Day bounty, and what bounty it was! Annie’s very first ever painting, on a canvas bigger than her, is the best present I have ever received from anybody ever.

I love this photo - Annie looks so happy, and maybe even a bit proud

I know it’s too early to read a lot into this, but I do have some strong hopes that she has an inquisitive and creative spirit. Having her debut artwork on my wall will remind me to never do anything but encourage her to pursue any interests she has (as, I guess, having my pre-school finger-painted art framed on their wall reminded my parents to do the same for me).

And because I have been defining myself primarily around my creative side for most of my life (though now of course, husband, father, breadwinner also feature somewhat), Katie and Annie could not have produced a better tribute to me for Father’s Day. I feel incredibly blessed and enriched to have them in my life, and so lucky to be so well understood by Katie (and hopefully one day by Annie as well).

After the gifting, I was given the privilege of watching Annie produce two more artworks (on smaller canvases) as Father’s Day presents for Pop and Granddad. It was a very special experience to witness, but you could tell she was just trying to replicate the success of her first artwork. Much too derivative.