To the men who loved us first…

June 19, 2015 We tend to take a lot of things our fathers do for us for granted, and it’s easy to forget the things they have done like teaching you how to ride a bike, being present at certain milestones, teaching you important life lessons( like teaching their sons how to shave), being their daughter’s hero etc. Once a year the world puts the spotlight on fathers all around the world as we commemorate Father’s Day! This year, it’s being celebrated on Sunday 21^st June.

Just like it stated in an anonymous post I came across whilst checking my emails one day, a father is someone who wants to catch you before you fall but instead picks you up, brushes you off, and lets you try again. A father is someone who wants to keep you from making mistakes but instead lets you find your own way, even though his heart breaks in silence when you get hurt. A father is someone who holds you when you cry, scolds you when you break the rules, shines with pride when you succeed, and has faith even when you fail.

Have you shown appreciation to your father (whoever that may be)? Whether you have or not, you have a chance to go the extra mile on June 21^st…

According to research, fathers have made more effort in spending time with their children having almost tripled the amount of time they spend with their children from 2.5 hours in 1965 to 7.3 hours per week in this day and age. Despite the increase, 46% admitted that they don’t spend enough time with their children, compare this with the 23% of women who had the same sentiment.

A few facts about Father’s Day that you may appreciate include the following:

Father’s Day is celebrated on the third Sunday of June every year.
Father’s Day originated in America. The first Father’s Day celebration was held on 19^th June 1910 in Spokane, Washington.
Rose is the official flower for Father’s Day, wearing a red rose signifies a living father whilst wearing a white one represents having a deceased father.
A young lady by the name of Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd is recognised for inventing the concept of Father’s Day, an American whose father had raised his six children single-handedly.
A day in the month of June was chosen as this was the month in which Sonora Smart Dodd’s father was born.

Lost for ideas on what to do for your father on Father’s Day? EbonyLife TV has got you covered…Make him a dish that he’s never tasted before. To get fresh ideas from fresh, talented and dedicated chefs, tune in to Chefrican at 20:00 WAT every Sunday on EbonyLifeTV DStv, channel 165.

Arit Okpo is a producer, presenter, writer and lover of food.

She loves to eat; she may not look like it, but she states “I will eat anything, and I’m a traditional food kinda girl too. Pounded yam and afang soup, peppered snails”.

She’s also a bookworm – give her a book and she’ll get lost in its pages for hours on end, “I love to read”.

Arit Okpo can be very shy and she’s very much an introvert, going on to say, “It’s why I like social media, because I can interact with people without having to interact”

She works to live a life of gratitude, being deliberately and actively grateful for all that she is, all that she has and all that she has been given.