Father’s Day falls on the third Sunday of June for most countries. However, some countries, like Denmark, celebrate it on the 5th of June, which coincides with Constitution Day.

We use Father’s Day to honor fathers and fatherhood, their role in families, and the importance fathers play in society. You may or may not agree, but fathers play a vital role in the upbringing and education of children.

Strong families require both mother and father figures to ensure a balanced upbringing. Some might even say that children growing up without a father figure may be more prone to troublesome childhoods.

Anyway, I’m not here to talk about that but to honor the most important person in my life – my own father, the original Viking Heart Warrior.

My Father, the Original Viking

I try to reflect on my childhood and how I interacted with my dad and use that to measure success.

Throughout my childhood and youth, my father was always around. He was swamped managing his one-man company and working even harder to be there for his family, so much so that he involved his wife (my mother) and his two kids (my sister and me) in the family business.

From a very early age, my sister and I were dragged along to various work duties, such as disassembling furniture on ferries, removing curtains, cleaning floors, repairing furniture, cleaning up the workshop, and answering phones. It is the curse of owning your own business.

While we hated having to work when our friends wanted to play, we had the opportunity to learn many important life lessons, such as a strong work ethic, working with hand tools, and the meaning of hard work.

He was a hardworking, family-focused man who valued spending time with his family. He would take time to plan family vacations, close down his shop, and bring us to sports.

He was at every badminton and sailing event I attended, drove my sister to horseback riding, and ensured we participated in after-school events.

He was a strict and stern dad who did not hesitate to discipline us if we disrespected the family or were misbehaving kids. I do not blame him for spanking us – I deserved it, although I might not have agreed when it happened.

We never said “I love you” in our family, but we all knew we loved each other. We hugged each other sometimes, but affection was not displayed too often.

I never went fishing or hunting with my dad, but we played badminton and golf together, and I would help him with DIY projects or work chores.

I loved every minute I spent with my dad and vividly remember how we laughed at the same jokes. We ate pastry and drank coffee together at his workshop, and he trusted me from an early age to do chores that he wouldn’t allow older kids to do.

For me, he was the ultimate Viking and, alongside his brother, the ruler of the combined families. Together, they decided and guided family members.

It was hard to imagine a world without my father, so when he was diagnosed with cancer, I was distraught. My sister and mother were, of course, upset, too, and we found it hard to see how this despicable illness slowly squeezed the life out of him.

Despite his suffering, he remained positive and pretended that he was okay. He refused to let others see him as weak, especially not his family. he was a proud and strong Viking who fought bravely to the end.

Watching Over My Dad

One time, about a year before he passed, my dad asked if I could come home from Ireland to attend his brother’s wedding anniversary. I lived in Ireland then and happily flew home for a long weekend.

As I arrived home, it quickly became apparent that he wanted my company and help, but he never asked. He was too stubborn.

While I was home, he enjoyed sitting in his favorite armchair and listening to me talk about the kids and wife in Ireland, what we experienced, and funny stories. He took an active interest in my life. We had coffee and pastry, chatted more, and watched TV.

The next day, we went to the wedding anniversary, despite him being weak and visibly tired from his battles with cancer. But he wanted to be there for his brother and to enjoy life.

I came along, but as a designated driver, I suspected my driving skills might be needed. It would also allow my mother to relax for once and enjoy the party.

Surely enough, within a couple of hours, my dad kindly asked me if I could bring him home. I ran to get the car, and we returned to the house.

I made a fresh pot of coffee, and we sat and chatted while we watched the sunset. We sat silently for a bit, and then he asked if he could watch over him while he napped.

My heart almost burst as this was the first time he had asked for my help and for me to look after him.

He slowly nodded off, and I lowered the TV volume while I guarded over him. He was breathing heavily and experiencing discomfort but found a good sleep pattern and relaxed further.

I sat in silence and watched my dad sleep. I monitored his chest movement and listened to his snoring. It was an odd feeling looking after your dad, but I’m honored that he finally asked for help.

After an hour or so, he woke from his nap. We had a bit more coffee, and then he said he’d better go to bed instead of sleeping in the armchair and getting yelled at by my mother.

An Emotional Tribute

James Blunt released a very emotional and powerful song a few years ago called Monsters. He wrote the music to his father, who was going through a kidney transplant, and how he would be there to support his dad.

This song hits me hard whenever I hear it, and I have to skip or turn off the music to avoid crying. It reminds me too much of my time with my dad and how I hated to see him suffer but still wanted to help him.

The Younger Viking Dad

As I grow older, I often look at myself in the mirror to ask if I’m the best father I can be or if I’m the asshole dad that my kids sometimes think I am when I get upset with them for not helping around the house if they talk back to their mum, disrespect their parents, or other teenage tantrums.

I don’t ask my kids for anything on my birthday or Father’s Day.

While gifts are fantastic, I do not want them to spend money on me. I’ve experienced many birthdays, so now I need a hug to say I love you or to spend time with me without me begging for help.

We compete against social media addiction as we fight for our kid’s affection. Most sports and activities in the US are done during regular school, but I do attempt to make it home for kids’ after-school activities.

I’m hopeful my kids appreciate our parenting skills, affection, and support. Sometimes, it is tough to see if they even acknowledge us, other than rolling eyes, snapping comments, and a lack of interest in family activity.

But, when we hang out as a family or with individual kids, we see they enjoy and value our company. Hopefully, they will look after us one day when we need them.

I love my kids and wife with all my heart!

Thank You, and I Love You, Dad

Lastly, a happy Father’s Day to my beloved father.

I miss and love you and am proud to be your son. I hope I make you proud.

We will meet again when I come home to you, sitting next to our father in heaven.

We will drink coffee and eat pastry while looking down on the families we left behind. We smile as we sit in silence and admire them.