Father’s Day is this upcoming weekend, and while the holiday rarely receives as much acclaim as Mothers’ Day, it is still important to acknowledge the fathers and father figures in our lives every now and then.

Perhaps that lack of acknowledgment is simply a symptom of not knowing how to thank the man who taught us how to fish, how to hunt, how to consider history in its broader scope. There is no cookie cutter gift of flowers and a nice lunch for our father’s, but there is an equally obvious – if slightly more time consuming solution: Take them back to what they taught you.

If your grandfather taught you how to fish, he would probably love to go out with you again.

If your father who explained your history homework for you night after night through your school years, he would probably love to walk through a history museum with you, and the Legacy Museum on Main is free – only asking for a donation – and will be open this Saturday.

That teacher who was a father figure in many ways as you struggled through those awkward school years would probably appreciate just a call and to have the knowledge that they did help you become the person you are today.

Maybe your father and father figures have moved on, and you now find yourself as the father or father figure in the lives of those around you. If that is the case, we want to thank you for what you have done to shape not just your children, but the community as a whole.

Maybe you are a new father, in which case we wish you luck now and in all the years to come.

And to all of you, we challenge you to give the most valuable gifts of all to the men who have shaped your lives for the better during the next week: your time and your thanks. If it is too late to give that gift to those who have shaped you, then pay it forward. The world will thank you.