A Must-Read For Father's Day, and for Any Day

Here's a stunning little essay for Father's Day for you to read by Jeff Goldberg. It's one of the best short essays I've ever read. Period. It reveals two important insights: first, the banalities of modern life for most of us are such that most of us never get to demonstrate whether we're actually a coward under pressure. Second, there's a point about "real" happiness here that is all too often lost: "joy is best found not in the pursuit of pleasure, but in the execution of responsibility." Here's a brief intro to the essay:

The morning of Sept. 8, 2008, was like most mornings for Thomas S. Vander Woude, a former airline pilot who, in retirement, kept a farm in Nokesville, Virginia. He went to Mass, and then turned to the relentless demands of his 26 acres. By his side was his youngest son, Joseph, known as Josie, who was 20 at the time, and who had Down Syndrome. Josie’s six older brothers had long ago moved away from home, but Josie was his father’s inseparable companion.

While Thomas was working, Josie was off in a different part of the yard when a broken septic-tank cover gave way under his feet, and he slid in. Vander Woude, from a distance, saw his son fall. He understood right away that Josie was in mortal danger. The tank was 8 feet deep, and filled almost to the top with waste.

Read more here. Happy Father's Day to all.