As a woman, your relationship with your father is one of the most important and profound relationships you will ever have. It’s immense. Not only does it shape the development of our personalities, values, and behaviors but it’s where you create a context for your relationships with all of the men in your life.

My father was 6’2”, slim, and looked great in suits. He walked slowly, he talked slowly, and I never remember hearing him raise his voice or spanking me…although I’m sure there were times when he was tempted. He left that task up to my mother who gladly stepped in and got the job done!

My relationship with my father was rooted in trust, respect, and the love that we had for each other. He always made me to feel safe and empowered and I knew how important I was to him. These are the qualities that I seek in all the relationships with the men in my life. I may not remember every experience that I had with my father but I remember how I felt.

Maya Angelou says it so accurately,

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they will never forget how you made them feel”.

Happy Father’s Day!