I’ve been thinking about these two wooden art pieces that I converted into tables and the many ways they can be used. I think of these tables as just large enough to have a great father/daughter – father/son chat around. In my head the story goes like this…
This table is a gift for dad on Father’s day, he can seal it so that it will weather well over the years and then put it in a special spot and tell his kids that this is the spot when you want to talk about something important to you let me know and we can meet at the table to discuss it. In my mind it represents the feeling of being able to talk to your father without trying to make him into anything less than a parent.
Conversations with Dad
Just a simple time at the table where you talk about your views on what you want and he is heard and so are you. I see it as a place where you can go and tell Dad anything you need to and have him be there for you, a place to have a say in the traditions you are setting up together, a special place where he can show up and where you as the kid can specifically ask for dads advice or views or for just time together.
I like these tables in that they are unique and they feel like it could be a wonderful way for the connection between a parent and child to take a shape of coming together to be understood, or for a game of chess, checkers, cards etc. to happen. I see it as an agreed upon meeting place where things are talked about in a loving way, where jokes can be told or where you can talk about how to fix the car together, design the garden, or how to reach your goals. It might even be where you go to watch the sunset together. What rituals and traditions you decide to come up with together I think of it as an experience place where the two of you can morph it into a wonderful meeting place to have some lovely experiences together. I especially like that it is something unique and not seen every day.
Leo Babauta writes on Fatherhood
“Greet them in the morning with a huge smile and a warm, tight embrace. Do puzzles together, build a robot together, get into their blanket forts, pretend to be a prince or a Jedi with them, tell them stories you made up, run around outside, draw together, make music videos together, make a family newspaper, help them start a business, sing badly together, go swimming and running and biking and play in the monkey-bars and sand and jungle.
Each moment you have with your child is a miracle, and then they grow up and move away and become their own person and figure out who they are and get hurt and need your shoulder to cry on but then don’t need you anymore.
And so in the end, fatherhood is being there until they don’t need you to be there, until they do again. And it’s not a thankless task, because they will thank you every day with their love, their presence, their smiles. What a joyful thing, to be a dad.”
Jody Miller is a professional photographer specializing in Horse Photography, Equine Photography, and Equestrian photography. Her work can be viewed online here in her gallery section, and she is also featured at these Arizona Galleries: Van Gogh’s Ear Gallery on Whiskey Row in Prescott, AZ and Coops Coffee House at Talking Rock Ranch. Several images are also available at the current exhibit, Click: Expose The West showing at The Phippen Western Art Museum