Rebecca, your Amazon gift for "Flock of Fathers" has been shipped.

In honors of Father’s Day, I wanted to recognize a gift I was given at the age of 7. I lost my father on a hunting trip in Colorado. You might be questioning how that tragic life-changing incident could be a gift. Let me explain.

Not all gifts are good. Some are tucked away in a junk closet next to the rest of the white elephant gifts. Others are personalized to fit you best, like a Becky White Claw koozie. My gift continues to “give”. Each year, I seem to unwrap the paper to find more trinkets or to at least find more meaning.

Check Your Oil

See, throughout my life I’ve been blessed…yes blessed with so many people who stood in his place. People who reminded me to check the oil or plug the smoker in before I attempt to grill. There is a long list of people who I can never thank for accepting the broken girl who smiles through the pain. My mother, my grandmothers and countless men. Not one individual was given strict instructions on how to raise me, they just did it. They jumped in the car to teach me how to drive, they picked me up to go fishing and hunting, they invited me to family events, and bought me my first beer at the Legion. They let me ride in the tractor with them, they called just to tell me happy birthday and most importantly, they reminded me who wore my smile first. The fortune for me is that when I subtracted one father, I received multiple. These gifts come in different body shapes, ages and gender; aunts, uncles, family friends, cousins, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, and the random Walmart mechanic. Half of them I’ve known since birth, the other half I don’t recognize until they are gone. The blessing is how much I've learned from each role model. People say you are a carbon copy of the people you surround yourself with the most. Lucky for me, I have several father figures translating to several perspectives on life. It's like having an expert in every field!

There is one expert missing, however. No man could ever replace the absence of half my DNA on this Earth. I know that, and they know that. At first, I thought the black and white October day could never cause more heartache than being 7 and fatherless until I realized my bundle of fathers will pluck away for the rest of my life.

Father-Daughter Dance

To the men and women who have helped shape me. Let’s keep doing this father-daughter dance! My heart melts every time someone says “Well, she’s like a daughter to me” or "Just like your Daddy." I wish I could thank each person by sharing an event that meant more than just their actions but I fear I’d leave someone out. You know who you are. Thank you.

For the kids out there who can’t decide what to give your dad on Father’s Day, I have a perfect gift. Be with them. Hug them. Tell them you love them. Tangible items collect dust, while memories and thankfully photos will always be right there. To the girls and boys just like me, we must keep being the best we can be. As I say with caution, I was given a gift at a young age. I guess, it’s a gift that keeps on giving, whether I want it to or not.

Happy Father’s Day to all the father figures in my life. You truly are the MVP.