my father loved getting together and celebrating every holiday, but he loved it because he loved giving gifts, taking people to dinner, etc. , not for attention for himself.
the last day i ever saw my father, i had brought him a father's day card, even though he was at the point i thought he wouldn't be able to understand. he was pretty non-verbal by then, and i'm not sure he knew me. he would usually open any card i gave him quickly, tearing the top of the envelope jaggedly to get to what was inside. he used to joke that it was obvious we were related because i open envelopes that way too. he wasn't interested in the card this time, and didn't open it. i wasn't surprised. so i left him the card, visited as much as i could, and left. after he died, i went to sort through his things at the retirement place. i found that father's day card with the envelope ripped jaggedly apart. i believe he knew somehow within him i was there, and opened that card and knew i loved him.❤