Father figure

Today is father’s day in Sweden and shops are crammed with cards, chocolates, ties, socks and underwear for the occasion. But aside gifts, dinners or however you may or may not celebrate this day – what does the word father mean to you? Father doesn’t necessarily have to mean your father by flesh and blood – it could be your mother, your brother or somebody else close to you who played that special part in your life.

My father and I didn’t always get along - yet we both knew that we loved each other. I have to smile when I think about him and when I see how alike we are. Both stubborn, strong willed, very proud yet sensible, with big hearts but sometimes high walls around it and most of all with a thirst for adventure and testing limits. And seeing our likenesses makes me happy because I know that a part of him lives on inside of me.

So however your father figure is – days like these are for remembering. And if you decide to go for the gift part of the day – please spare him the ugly socks and funky ties.