This had me in tears
Good morning. This week, we’re celebrating the men who guide us, cheer us on, and help shape who we become.
Sometimes it’s a father. Sometimes a grandfather, stepfather, coach, teacher, or mentor.
The older I get, the more I realize that the people who leave the biggest impact aren’t always the loudest or most successful. They’re often the ones who were simply there. Showing up. Believing in us when we needed it most.
A reader sent me a story recently that stopped me in my tracks. I think it will stop you too. So, pull up a chair. And let’s begin.
Think everyone in your house knows these famous fathers?
TABLE WISDOM
“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day… is by no means a waste of time.” — John Lubbock
Even Dad’s playlist is part of the memory.
Today’s story comes straight from a reader -and I thought Father’s Day week was just the right time to share it. Thank you, Deb!
STORIES FROM THE TABLE
“When my daughter turned 16, she went to family courts to legally change her last name to my husband’s (her stepfather‘s) last name. Her and I and her FFA advisor were the only three people that knew of this. She was a state officer at the time in FFA and had to give a retiring officer speech. Her speech was titled “The Impact of One“.
Her speech was then about different people in history who had made an impact by going out of their comfort zone and doing something new and succeeding. The last person that she spoke about was my husband, and the impact that he had on her life. He came into her life when she was only three years old, after her father left us, when she was only one.
The very last slide in her presentation was her picture with her new name on there. The entire auditorium, boys, girls, men, and women, were brought to tears. This is a day we will never forget! Oh, and I forgot, as this slide came up she came walking down off of the stage and came walking to the man that she calls daddy. She made sure that I had him sitting on an end seat for this lol. The story still brings tears to my eyes, and she is 34 years old.”
I read this three times before I could move on. Every detail of this is extraordinary. (And research on stepparent relationships consistently shows that presence, not biology, is what kids remember)
If today’s table has one message, it’s this: the people who show up for us deserve to know it.
Here are some ways to show up for them this week →
And after a story like that, a good laugh feels right.
Fair warning: these get out of hand fast →
SOMETHING TO CHEW ON
What is the smallest two-digit prime number?
Sounds easy. Takes longer than you’d think. Find the answer (#34) in math trivia →
CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK
Connect with Dad (or a father figure)
AFFIRMATION OF THE WEEK
The people who shaped me are my greatest gift.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Who is someone who changed the course of your life simply by showing up for you?
Have you ever told them how much their presence meant?
Plus, don’t forget – This week, we’re running a special “Letters From The Table: Father’s Day Edition”
Reply to any email Monday-Thursday with one thing your father figure taught you about life or family. Your response will be shared in a special edition on Friday 🙂
Let’s give the dads some love this week!
TABLE TALK
MORE FROM THE TABLE
Father’s Day is Sunday! Here’s everything you need for the whole weekend: a dinner game, a survey showdown, and a 4th of July night ready to go. One download each. Zero prep.
*All of the games on the site are FREE for you. But many readers request pdf files so they can play without screens or with big groups.
Father’s Day Family Feud – The game that gets louder every single round. Works for Father’s Day, works for any summer night, works whenever you need everyone off their phones.
Father’s Day 5 Second Rule Games Cards – The rule is simple: five seconds, three answers, no pressure. Dad will claim he let everyone else win.
4th of July Family Feud – Everything you need for a night the kids talk about for the rest of the summer
4th of July Games Pack – Five games. One download. Zero stress on the most chaotic hosting day of the year. Here’s the pack →
Trivia answer: 11
Thank you for sitting at the table with us. I hope you enjoyed today’s edition. If you have anything at all you’d like to share, ask, or say, just hit reply. I’d love to hear from you.
I appreciate you!
See you tomorrow at the table,
Jenn Kropf
Founder of Healthy Happy Impactful