Father’s Day gives us a chance to pause and recognize the men who helped raise us, guide us and prepare us for life.

Most fathers never ask for recognition. They do what needs to be done because that is what fathers do. They go to work, pay the bills, mow the grass, fix what is broken and worry about their families. Fathers offer advice when asked and sometimes when it is not. They celebrate our successes and stand beside us when things do not go our way.

The lessons fathers teach are often simple, but they stay with us for a lifetime. Work hard. Tell the truth. Keep your word. Treat people right. Take responsibility for your actions. Help your neighbors when they need a hand.

Many of those lessons come without a single lecture. Children learn by watching. They see how their fathers treat others, how they handle setbacks and how they carry themselves through good times and bad. Long after childhood ends, those examples remain.

Here in Appalachia, fathers have worked in coal mines, factories, schools, hospitals, businesses and farms. They have served in the military, coached Little League teams, volunteered at churches and helped neighbors rebuild after floods and storms. Their names may never appear in history books, but their work can be seen in the lives of their children and grandchildren.

Not every father figure is a biological father. Many people are blessed with grandfathers, stepfathers, uncles, coaches, teachers and other men who stepped into that role when it was needed. They deserve recognition as well. A father is not defined only by blood, but by love, guidance and commitment.

For many families, Father’s Day is also a time of remembrance. Some fathers are no longer with us except in memory. We remember their stories, their advice, their laughter and even the habits that once drove us crazy. Time has a way of making us appreciate those things more than we did when we were young.

No father is perfect. Every parent makes mistakes. But the measure of a father is not perfection. It is love, sacrifice and showing up day after day, year after year.

On this Father’s Day, we thank all fathers and father figures. We appreciate the sacrifices you have made, the lessons you have taught and the example you have set.

From all of us, Happy Father’s Day.