Celebrating Amazing Dads and the Lessons That Last a Lifetime
The most enduring lessons often come not from what fathers say, but from how they live.
Jun 21, 2026
Like many people this Father’s Day weekend, I’ve been thinking about my dad and all the ways he influenced my life.
When I was in high school, he’d occasionally bring me along to trade shows. I wasn’t there to do much of anything. Mostly, I watched. I saw how he greeted vendors, treated customers, and built relationships over time.
He never sat me down to explain the importance of trust or treating people well. He just lived those values every day. Looking back, I realize how much I learned from those trips, and I wish he were here to see how much I’ve relied on those lessons.
Every father has his own way of passing along wisdom. Some offer advice directly. Others teach through example. Most do a little of both. Father’s Day gives us a reason not only to celebrate our dads but also reflect on the gifts they gave us.
A few weeks ago, I invited the Celebrations Pulse community to share stories about their Amazing Dads. The response was overwhelming. Nearly all the stories focused on the lessons and values that continue to shape people years – even decades – later.
The styles of fatherhood
Some fathers teach through words. Others teach through example.
Rochelle’s father was in his 20s, newly out of the military and raising three children under four when his wife walked away. He didn’t leave. He changed careers and spent the next four decades working his way up from janitor to a senior position at the same company. Rochelle wrote:
“He taught me so much without having to say a word. He is not a perfect person, nor did he live a perfect life — but I know so many others walk away or give up. He kept going.”
Kit’s father taught in a different way. While she was away at college, envelopes would arrive containing nothing more than a clipped newspaper comic, sometimes accompanied by a hand-drawn smiley face. She taped them above her dorm-room desk. The ritual continued for years.
The comics were a reminder that someone was thinking about her and a lesson in carrying a sense of humor through life’s challenges.
“My dad has been gone over 15 years now,” she wrote, “but many of our shared rituals hold a strong color in my heart.”
A steady presence
The lessons people remember most often come from a dad’s steady presence. In the routines of daily life, fathers model values, character, and resilience in ways that endure for years.
Eileen grew up in a household facing financial and emotional strain. Her father traveled often, and life at home wasn’t always easy. But when he was there, she wrote, “I had a friend.”
He never raised his voice or his hand. He simply remained himself —patient and kind — despite circumstances that might have justified something less.
“He showed me that you don’t have to let your circumstances determine who you are.”
That story reminded me of something Larry Long Jr. shared in this week's Power & Impact. As a struggling freshman baseball player at the University of Maryland, Larry found himself questioning whether he belonged.
After a difficult start, his father challenged him: “With an attitude like that, how can you expect to succeed?” He urged Larry to work harder on his skills, but more importantly, on his mindset. Larry credits that conversation with changing the course of his life.
The faces of fatherhood
Many readers also reminded me that Father’s Day isn’t just about biological fathers. Grandfathers, stepfathers, coaches, mentors, and family friends often leave the same kind of lasting imprint.
Marsha was six or seven years old when she began spending weekends with her grandfather, a pastor who traveled across Indiana preaching and teaching. What she remembers most are the walks through his garden — zinnias, canna lilies, four o’clocks, and morning glories — while she followed behind and watched.
Her grandfather died in 1965, when she was 14. Nearly 60 years later, she grows those same flowers in her New Mexico garden.
“Every time I see them, I think of him and his gentle spirit,” she wrote. “A generally quiet man, his presence and his guidance spoke of his love and deep care for me, so much louder than any words he ever uttered.”
The lessons we carry with us
Some of the most moving letters came from readers reflecting on fathers who are no longer here. They serve as a reminder to those who still have their fathers to reach out and connect while there’s still time.
Barbara’s father served in the Navy and later worked at NASA during the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs. He witnessed some of the most remarkable moments of the 20th century.
Barbara knows the broad outlines of that story. What she wishes she had now are the details. What first drew him to aviation? What did he think when Pearl Harbor was announced? What was it like to help advance human exploration?
“Stories ... why, oh, why didn’t I get more stories out of my dad when he was alive?” she wrote. “A quiet man, he would have had to have been prompted ... a lot!”
The Father's Day opportunity
If your father is still here, consider this your opening. Ask him something you don’t know the answer to. Find out what he was thinking during the moments you remember differently, or the ones you were too young to understand at the time.
And if your father has passed away, the opportunity is different but just as meaningful: Share one of his stories, pass along one of his lessons, and keep something he taught you alive in another person.
That’s what Amazing Dads have always done. This Father’s Day, we have the opportunity to do the same.
All the best,
Jim
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Written by 1-800-Flowers.com Founder and Chairman, the Celebrations Pulse letters aim to engage with our community. By welcoming your ideas and sharing your stories, we want to help you strengthen your relationships with the most important people in your life.
AUTHOR
Jim McCann is the founder and chairman of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. as well as a business leader, author, and philanthropist with a passion for helping people deliver smiles. Devoted to helping others, he also founded Smile Farms, a 501(c)3 organization that provides meaningful jobs in agricultural settings to young adults and adults with developmental disabilities.
