Happy Summer Solstice And Happy Father's Day Too!!!!!

Today, I feel a profound sense of gratitude......

Happy Sunday everyone. Happy Summer Solstice, Happy Father’s Day, and Happy another amazing day of soccer ahead at the World Cup day!

I am going to celebrate this special day by taking a day off from he-who-shall-not-be named and the rough and tumble of politics….

I have a working post on fatherhood and fathers in me that just isn’t quite ready so just a brief moment of reflection…..

Our youngest, Katie, just left for the airport, heading back to college for summer courses and volunteer work, after a brief but wonderful visit. Our two oldest are out of school and getting on with their post-college lives so my wife and I are truly empty nesters now. It really is a new chapter, one we are both looking forward to. But in saying good bye to Katie just now memories of our time together, and this great undertaking of fatherhood, just began flowing and the post I intended to write will have to wait for another day……

Our three kids, Will, Katie, and Jed, a few years back…..

Today I want to express my appreciation to all parents and kids, brothers and sisters, for the great adventure of creating and living in a family - with all of its up and downs, celebrations and challenges, joy and heartbreak. As I reflect on this day I share what I’ve always felt to be true - that the great project of our time here on this planet isn’t our work, or our careers. It is about creating and nurturing family, and doing everything we can to give those who come next the opportunity to live their dreams boldly, courageously, and successfully.

We often say in our house that both my wife and I were lucky to come from families of entrepreneurs and adventurers, immigrants and strivers, trial lawyers and artists, Little League coaches and community leaders, men and women who felt comfortable pursuing their own path and doing their own thing. If there has been one thing I’ve tried to convey to my own children it is that - that your heritage is one of people creating their own path and not following others, so whatever it is you are going to do, just go for it……and so far, they all seem very much to be following that family creed and charting their own courses. It’s all a Dad could ever ask for……

So as I said goodbye to Katie and thought about the life we built here in Washington I have become overwhelmed by a profound sense of gratitude. Being a father and a husband and a son and a brother has been the most important thing I’ve ever done in my now more than a few years in this journey. I feel lucky today, really lucky. Lucky to have found a partner in my wife Caitlin. Lucky to be the dad of three amazing and very spirited kids. Lucky to be the son of Peter and Louise, and the son-in-law of Stephen and Karen. Lucky to be the brother to my five remarkable siblings and their now many, many kids and grand kids……

So on this special day sending lots of love to you and your families and a reminder that we need to keep working hard everyone. For we have a country to save, futures to secure for our kids and grandkids, and a World Cup to win, together! - Simon