Columnists, Opinion
 By  Melissa Cason Published 
7:58 am Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Thanks to all the dads

We celebrated Father’s Day at our house this week like everyone else. It’s a day to honor our fathers for all the sacrifices they have made for us growing.

When I was a child, I didn’t really realize how hard raising kids was. I just figured being a grown up meant I could do whatever I please without consequences or responsibility.  Boy was I wrong.

After we had Jordan, I began to see how much having children changed our lives.  We planned to have a baby, but nobody is completely ready to have a baby. They just think they are.

While having your own children is great, some people are raising someone else’s children.

I know the man I call dad isn’t my biological father. My biological father lives in Atlanta. I was 14 the first time I remember meeting him.

He and my mom divorced when I was very young. Robert didn’t remember him either.

Our step-dad is the only father we have ever really known. We always knew he wasn’t our biological father, but we loved our dad very much anyway.

After all he was the one who made the sacrifices to raise us with our mother. He had his own children, but he always treated Robert and me just like his own.

To this day, we call this man dad, and our stepbrother and stepsister are not considered steps to us. They are our brother and sister.

I do talk to my biological father from time to time. I don’t really have a relationship with him because it takes more than biology to make a father.

My dad was always there for me. He was there when I was three and had a nightmare. He was there when I went on my first date. He was there when I got engaged. He was there when I got married, and he was there when each of my children were born.

The point I am trying to make is he was there. My biological father was not. Biology doesn’t make you a parent.

Love for your children makes you a parent. Without that love and all the sacrifices that go with it, everything else is just genetics.

So for all you dads out there who are raising children whom are not yours biologically, I want to say thank you because without men like you, I would not be the woman I am today.

Also on Franklin County Times
Red Bay halts use of Flock cameras
Main, News, Red Bay, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
August 26, 2026
RED BAY — Councilmembers have voted to take the city’s Flock Safety license plate recognition cameras offline until officials finalize a policy govern...
Town council prepares to levy fines for unsafe buildings
Main, News, Phil Campbell, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
August 26, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — Town officials will begin preparing the paperwork needed to levy fines for a group of dilapidated buildings after negotiations with th...
Firefighters must stay ready for emergencies at all times
News, Records, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
August 26, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — From operating the department’s aerial truck to practicing rope rescues and dive boat operations, city firefighters spend hours each we...
Super voters are the ones who count most in polls
Columnists, Editorials, Opinion
August 26, 2026
Ask most people what a poll is for and they’ll say it tells you who’s winning. In a low-turnout election, that’s the easy part. The hard part — the pa...
Training highlights Institution Days
Columnists, Editorials, Opinion
HERE AND NOW
August 26, 2026
As a former educator, I can remember attending numerous Institute Days. Even after retirement, I still can return to schools in our area and see educa...
RC&D awards $175K to fund 26 projects
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
August 26, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE – The Northwest Alabama RC&D Council has awarded $175,000 to 26 projects to purchase public safety equipment, make school improvements, a...
Scholarship committee gets $5K for food trailer
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
August 26, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — A $5,000 grant from the Northwest Alabama Resource Conservation and Development Council (RC&D) helped the Franklin County Branch of the...
Russellville wins thriller over Deshler to begin new era under Coach Higgins
High School Sports, Russellville Golden Tigers, Sports
Brannon King For the FCT 
August 26, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — The Golden Tigers held off a late Deshler comeback attempt to earn a 28-27 win at home to give new head coach Darrell Higgins his first...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *