I recall when my kids were young they would ask, “Dad, what would you like for Father’s Day?” I would usually answer, “A nap.” They’d twist their face and look at me like I was nuts (they didn’t realize, I really meant it.) Anyway, one time they got me a copy of Bill Bryson’s “A Walk In The Woods,” and I was hooked. It was a story about hiking the Appalachian Trail. Unfortunately for Bill, he didn’t finish the hike, so I guess I get braggin’ rights.

The important thing about this story is that I thoroughly enjoyed the gift of a book. Tools for Father’s Day just means more work, a book on the other hand is many hours of enjoyment and time spent alone with your gift.

That gift of a book has stuck with me to this day. In the ensuing years I’ve given many books as gifts. Unlike the Mother’s Day chocolates that Mom inevitably ends up sharing, a book can be shared, but the reader can at least consume the whole thing before sharing it.

Happy Father’s Day…

Dennis “K1” Blanchard