By Mary McCarthy
Herald Staff Report
(From the issue of 6/12/03)

Dear Christopher, Michael and Andrew,

Sometimes the greatest gift a father can receive is time to spend with his family.

William Johnson, a parishioner of St. Theresa Parish in Ashburn, unexpectedly received that gift last spring.

What at first appeared as an obstacle, soon revealed itself as a blessing in disguise. Johnson lost his job due to downsizing and decided to stay home to spend more time with his kids, nine-year-old Christopher, five-year-old Michael and three-year-old Andrew.

"My family and watching my kids grow up is very important to me," said Johnson. "If something were to happen to me tomorrow, would I regret them not knowing how much I love them?"

Although he knows he is not a perfect father, Johnson wants his children to remember him as a loving dad.

Johnson remembers the example of his father, one of five children, who was a devout, practicing Catholic even though his siblings turned away from the faith. Johnson remembers watching his father pray the rosary at church. He remembers his father kneeling in his room to say prayers. Johnson said his father did not do these things to impress anyone, and probably never knew that anyone was watching, but it was by his example that he was able to instill beliefs in and impress his five children.

While talking to his mother, who lost her father when she was a young girl, she said to her son, "Wouldn’t it be nice if your kids had something to remember you by?"

After this, Johnson was inspired to write letters to his sons to express to them his love for his family.

In February of this year, "From the Heart of a Father," Johnson’s letters to his sons, was published by Sun Creek Books.

The book contains short fictional stories gathered by Johnson and his reactions to them, in the form of letters to his sons. Each note to one, or all of his sons, is signed, "I love you, Dad."

Sara, Johnson’s wife had been working part time at an interior design shop in Leesburg prior to the time Johnson decided to stay at home. She began working full time and her job became the primary source of income when her husband decided to devote some time to the children.

In the book, Johnson recalls Msgr. James McMurtrie once telling him, "The best gift you can give to your children is to love your wife." Johnson hopes that his children will always know that he loves them, his wife loves them and he and his wife love each other. "I’m blessed to have a wife that’s so easy to love and who can find something to love about me," he said.

Sara has received much positive feedback from women who have read the book. She said women have approached her and said such things as "What a beautiful thing to leave your children." Sara said, "When you hear about all the negative things today: lack of parenting, gangs, fathers not being around for their children; here is a book so pure, so simple in a father’s love for his children."

In the few months following the publication of his book, Johnson also received positive feedback from those who have read his book. People have responded that his words to his children have inspired them to do something similar for their own children.

"From the Heart of a Father" is not a book about how to be the perfect dad. "Am I a perfect father?" asked Johnson. "Absolutely not. I can yell with the best of them. But at the end of the day, my kids know, ‘Dad loves me.’"

And as much as Johnson wants his kids to know he loves them, he also wants them to realize that God loves them even more.

Through his recent experiences, and his book, Johnson wants to help others realize, "Sometimes, you’re not going to get everything you want." Especially for children, but also many times for adults, this is a hard concept to grasp. And it is in these situations where people don’t get what they want that they begin to doubt God. Johnson asks in his book, "If we don’t feel He’s close, who moved?"

Through his trials, Johnson has realized, and he hopes his children will realize, "There are people with much greater crosses to bear."

Johnson is now employed full time as a senior project manager for a software company in Vienna, and he also enjoys speaking to groups. He wants to share with other adults the "real side of parenting."

Johnson is not sure whether he’ll write another book. He said, "I am not a book writer. I am a father who wrote about something I love."

His son Christopher just turned nine, and Johnson realized that Christopher’s life with his parents is half over. In another nine years, he’ll be off to college. Johnson said the biggest regret he could ever have is to look back and see that he didn’t spend enough time with his kids.

"As we all grow older with each passing day, I am continuously grateful for your presence in my life," Johnson said in one of the letters in the book. "Just being around the three of you is a blessing that I hope I have conveyed on a regular basis. I am very thankful for the title of "Father" and I find so much joy in being "Dad." I am most thankful for the gift of time with each of you."

"From the Heart of a Father" is available at the Catholic Shop in Chantilly, the Paschal Lamb in Fairfax, Books-A-Million, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com.

Johnson will sign books at Books-A-Million in the Target Shopping Center in Sterling on June 13 from 2-4 p.m.