All the ways our fathers raise us up

Thank you, Kathleen Parker, for your Oct. 12 op-ed, “To my father, I am ever grateful.”

In a world dominated by death, hate and despair, I needed to be reminded of the simple humanity of real life: adventure, ambitions, dreams, hope, imagination, unpredictable tragedy, responsibility, leadership and a man’s willingness (without excuses) to raise his daughter. To care for her, love her, nurture her intellectual curiosity and treat her as an equal so she can make her own decisions about her life. (“If I asked his permission to do something potentially controversial, he always said, ‘I’ll tell you what I think, and then it’s up to you.’”) These are reminders we all need. Godspeed.