My best Father’s Day gift ever? Maybe nothing

The assignment was thus: “Jon, can you write a column on the best Father’s Day present you ever got?” Sounds easy enough. So, I started thinking. Was it the coffee mug? (Already had eight.) The new shirt? (Closet filled with “new” shirts I have never even worn.) Or was it one of the many gift cards that have played hide and seek in one of our kitchen drawers for years?

I really couldn’t think of any that truly stood out. So… after much consternation (actually, not that much), I determined the best Father’s Day present I ever got was… when I didn’t get anything! At least nothing of a material nature.

Nothing to clutter the house. Nothing to find a space for, knowing I probably will never have the need to use it. Perfect. Best present yet!

Much of this anti-materialism stems from the fact that I am resolutely convinced that all of us quite simply have too much stuff! Things we bought that we haven’t used since the turn of the decade—maybe even a couple decades. Stuff that just sits and clutters the house. This is made even worse if you are like me and have recently put some of those things in storage because “maybe we will need them later.” Trust me, you won’t. The only thing you get from these storage centers is the monthly bill depleting your bank account. 

Bottom line? Yes, Father’s Day is coming, and thank you very much, but I don’t need anything else. Whatever I might have needed in the past few months, I usually have received with the all-too-easy click of the old mouse on the Amazon website and then—boom!—it is there before dinnertime. But quite frankly, even the Amazon site I have not used much of late.

So, there you have it. My conclusion as to the best Father’s Day present I have ever received? Nothing. Nada. Nil. At least as far as a material gift.

Now, having the family together? Getting cards from the kids or the wife with heartfelt messages? Totally different story! Those are the best. Those are what you keep and remember.

When you’re in your final days and sitting in the old rocking chair, trying to figure out which of the many pills from your pillbox you have already taken, or should have by now, the things you will think of are not any material gift. Nope. Instead, you will take out the “for the memories” box that you have saved and read some of those cards.

Those words. The words expressed without restriction from young kids, or even the ones more guarded (but just as treasured) from your teenage or young adult kids?

Those are the best Father’s Day presents you could ever get.