What do you want for Father's Day?

That's the question I hear every year. What do you want for Christmas? What do you want for your birthday?...What do you want for ______?

Personally, I think gifts are meant to be, well, gifts. You don't ask for a gift. You don't tell someone what you want as a gift. A gift is - a gift. I can say right now - I don't want to have to tell someone what I want for a gift. Then it's not a gift - it's a want, a demand, an order... Just between us, I already have everything I want as far as material things. If I really want something, I just go find it and acquire it somehow. I'll find it on Craigslist or Ebay, or if I have to, I'll go pay retail for it. Nevertheless, if I want something, it's easy enough to get, and I don't want to wait for a holiday to come around. Besides, usually what I want is too expensive to ask someone else to buy for me just because it's a holiday.

I'll tell you what I really want. I want to know you love me and care for me enough to acknowledge me - not just on a holiday, but all the time. I want a phone call to say you love me. I want a letter telling me how much you appreciate me. I want to see your pictures, I want to know what you're thinking. I want to know what'ts going on in your life. I want you to ask what's going on in my life. I want you to care. I want to know what's important to you. I want to know I am important to you. I want you to include me in your thoughts, your life, and your prayers.

If you want to give me something tangible, fine, but do it because you love me and you know me well enough to get something meaningful, not because you have to. Take me to breakfast, take me to lunch. Visit me. Call me. Talk to me. Yes, you can send me a gift or give me one. It's OK to do that. Think about me, what do I like? What would you like to tell me?

Knowing you love me is the greatest gift you can give me. Send me a card. Call me. Otherwise, I take Visa, MasterCard, Cash, checks, and PayPal.