World's Greatest Dad.

It floats around a lot, that phrase. We see it on coffee mugs and t-shirts and plaster-of-paris trophies in souvenir and novelty shops all over the world. Moms are not that hard to shop for. For some unfair reason, it's always easier to buy a gift for a woman. For a man, not so much. Especially if it's for your father. So the t-shirts and mugs and trophies come in very handy when you've broken your head over what to get him for his birthday, for Father's Day, or for Christmas.

If you, reading this, are a father, you probably have received at least one World's Greatest Dad. If you've received more than one - all from the same child - you probably need to let him or her know that you've got the message, and then drop hints about something you'd really like as a gift. If you're a father who hasn't yet received one, be patient. It will come.

World's Greatest Dad. As I said, it floats around, and when we say it, we're pretty sincere about it. But here's the thing - you will only truly understand what the words meant, when, like me, you have lost your father.

Daddy

1 December 1926 to 21 March 2013

Two years today, and every day I discover more ways in which you earned that award.