Page 32 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2021- Online Magazine
P. 32
Exceptional
SENIORS
A "Real" Father
Ron Herrin by Erin Agee
o all of you dads out there something very important:
– Happy Father’s Day! – being a real father means so
Tthe official day set aside in much more than contributing
America to honor our male parents. genetic material. As I
However, although each of us mourned the loss of my
has a biological father, the sad biological father and mulled
truth is that some of us might not over the virtues he lacked,
want to celebrate the one we got. I realized God had already
This story is about someone who blessed me with a good dad. He’s a protector: Once, when
came into my life much later and I recorded some of my thoughts I was having a garage sale, I was
demonstrated to me what a real about what a good father looks like: alone with a guy who made me
father should look like.
He’s a covering: On my feel uneasy. The next thing I knew
Recently, my biological father died. wedding day, I needed someone – Ron was pulling up. He said he
I hadn’t seen him in over 30 years, to give me away. The traditional felt led by God to just come hang
and the years I did have with him walk down the aisle ends in rich out with me for a while. I value his
were not happy ones. I did grieve, symbolism as the father hands his discernment and his obedience.
however. I grieved over the loss of daughter over to her husband. Ron He blesses: Anyone who
the loving father I never got to have, Herrin had already been a spiritual knows Ron Herrin knows that you
and I grieved over the realization mentor to me. He was the obvious never leave an event, meeting, or
that I would never hear “I’m sorry” choice to step into that role for me. any other gathering without him
for the pain he caused. Ron and Gay have been married for speaking a blessing over you – for
over 54 years, so they were also role
But that is only the back story. models for what a Godly marriage health, wisdom, prosperity, grace,
When I first got the text announcing was to look like. joy, you name it. The blessing is a
his death – the first people I told valuable gift, and Ron’s heartfelt
(after my husband) were Ron and words settle into
Gay Herrin. I knew they had been your soul and linger
praying for me and would continue for days.
to pray for me as I worked through He’s
the grief. I knew they would dependable: The
not judge me. They would allow trademark of a good
me to cry and vent and help me father is one who can
understand so many conflicting be trusted. There
emotions. were times when I
wanted to test and
In the following days and weeks,
I thought a lot about what a dad challenge that, but
is supposed to be. As I made Ron and Gay stayed
mental notes, I came to understand the course with me. I
32 Lubbock Senior Link
