LETTERS: A FATHER'S THOUGHTS ABOUT LOVE

To the editor:

If I were to ask my heavenly Father, "Lord, what would you want me to know above and beyond anything else," I am certain he would say, "I want you to know how very much I love you."

As a father of three children and one grandchild, this would be my answer to them. More than all the knowledge I have attained, more than all the wisdom I have accumulated, more than anything else I would want them to know how much I loved them. I believe the desire of most fathers would be for their children to know how deep and wide is the love they have for them. However, as I meditated on the importance of having expressed my love faithfully to my children, I sensed a deep feeling of failure in achieving this worthy goal. Yes, there were times when they observed my tremendous love for them, I'm sure. Nevertheless, there were times when they must have surely wondered if I loved them at all, such as the tough-love times.

While beating myself up about this, I began asking myself why my children experienced these doubting moments of my love for them. As I asked why, I was gently reminded by the Holy Spirit of the times I doubted my heavenly Father's love for me, such as the times when I wanted a yes and he said no. The times seemed endless when he seemed to be so far away in a distant land at a time when I needed to feel the nearness of his strength and support. Suddenly, by the power of the Holy Spirit, I felt assured that even in my darkest hour of despair, my heavenly Father was there with me saying, "I love you." As my children were in times like these, I had become so preoccupied with my need that I lost the awareness of his unfailing love.

This gave me comfort knowing that what my children experienced with me was no different than what I had experienced with my heavenly Father. Even he had to use tough love at times.

I would offer one comment to conclude this lesson of love: Fathers, don't be afraid to use tough love when you must. Even more, do not fear saying to your children as often as you can, "More than anything else I want you to know how much I love you."

RON FARROW

Cape Girardeau