Honour and cherish them...

In our country, the father was the head of the family and the sole bread winner from ancient times. However, with more and more women going to work, to supplement the income, this role of being the sole bread winner has changed in modern times. But, in our culture, he's still the head of the family and is highly respected.

Even though the mother is the primary care-giver, traditionally father's too play a key role in the upbringing of a child, especially in these modern times where both parents go to work. It is important to show love and gratitude to your father for all he does to provide for the family and protect you all.

Today, which is Father's Day is ideal to do so, especially if you are too busy with your own life.

Even though we don't need such special days, let's make the most of it and see how it originated.

In the US and many other countries, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June. So, it means today is Father's Day. According to this rule, the date changes every year. Next year it'll fall on June 20.

There have been many theories about Father's Day and how it came into practice to celebrate our wonderful fathers. Some say, the idea evolved from around 4,000 years ago when a boy with the name of Elmusu wished his father longevity(long life) life and good health by making a card out of mud clay and scribing his appreciation message on it.

What happened to Elmusu and his father is not known, but the tradition of having a special day to honour our fathers has continued through the years internationally.

The commercialisation of Father's Day is said to have emerged after an American (Spokane, Washington) woman named Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the Father's Day celebration whilst listening to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909.

Having being raised by her widowed single father, Henry Jackson Smart after Sonora's mother died, Senora wanted her father to know how special he was to her.

She saw him as a selfless, courageous and loving man and since he was born in June - she chose to celebrate and hold the first Father's Day on June 19, in Spokane, Washington.

In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the third Sunday in June as Father's Day, which was then established as a permanent national observance by President Nixon in 1972.

Roses are the Father's Day flowers: red to be worn by a living father, white if the father has passed away.

You are my best friend

You are my world

You are my heart

You are my life

You are my best friend.

I'm proud of you,

Because you're my father,

You bring me,

What I need,

Thanks, my dear father.

Yes, my loving father,

I am proud to be,

A child of yours,

I am glad,

You had to never punish me.

Yes my dear father,

On this March 5,

You turned 40 years,

But I didn't like it.

Anyway we can't,

Stop the time,

But I wish you,

All the best of life,

On this Father's Day,

And everyday of your life.

W.P. Mahesha Harshani,

Ananda Balika National College,

Hingurakgoda.