By PATTIE MIHALIK

newsgirl@comcast.netOne afternoon while my husband and I were kayaking together on the bay, I was following him through shallow channels that were dotted with mangroves.When anyone is following David, it's essential to keep an eye on him as well and to keep up with him. If not, he'll be in the next time zone while you're sitting there saying, "Who was that masked man and where did he go?"Instead of keeping pace with him, I lagged behind when I saw a father with his young daughter in a fishing kayak. He was teaching her to fish and the enchanted look on her face told how much she was enjoying her father-daughter experience.I took the opportunity to compliment the father for giving her his time and undivided attention in teaching her to fish.We live in an outdoor paradise surrounded by water. Yet it's not often that I see a father with his children on the water. When I do, I always make sure I compliment the father on sharing the pleasures of the great outdoors with their offspring."She'll remember this all her life," I told the father in the fishing kayak.I was speaking from experience.It's been decades since I had that experience with my father. But some of the best times I ever had with him came when he took me fishing. Our boat was a humble Johnboat, and sometimes it wasn't even ours. Sometimes it was a small rental. But no one enjoys a yacht more than I loved those fishing trips with my dad.He worked hard all week and had lots of buddies who liked to fish with him. But he made spending time with me a priority.He taught me to fish and to catch crabs with just a long string and some bloody bait. But most of all, he taught me a lot about life during the hours we spent together on the water.When I saw that father in the kayak teaching his young daughter to fish I was flooded with those warm memories.I've had a lot of experiences and a lot of joys in life. But my time in a boat with my father ranks right up there with my best memories of all time.I thought about father-daughter bonding again when my husband and I were biking along a trail reserved only for bikers or walkers. We passed a father on a bike with a very young child for his passenger. She wore a little pink helmet and a grin that conveyed how proud she was to be on a bike with her dad.When the nation celebrates father's day, attention is focused on what gift a child can give to dad.A more important question is what gift can a father give to his children.The best gift he can give, of course, is the gift of time.Life today is more hectic than ever and it seems harder than ever to make a living. Each parent has so many demands on his or her time. There are so many "must dos" that weight us down.Sometimes, in all that busyness, the simple act of just enjoying time with a child gets lost.I just had the pleasure of spending last weekend with my daughter Andrea and her family. We spent all day Sunday sitting in a gym watching 14-year-old Sophie play in a basketball tournament. I had more fun watching the last intense game than I have in seeing an NBA playoff.Sophie was great that day, but in my mind, her father was even more impressive. In order to be with her for the two-day tournament, Greg had to put off writing a project that had to be turned in before Monday.When we got home from the tournament, instead of heading straight to his office to write the business proposal, he didn't hesitate when Sophie asked him for help with her science project.The two of them were on the floor trying to increase the distance a homemade projectile could travel. I didn't observe the least bit of frustration on Greg's face and he never let on to Sophie that "he had work to do."I saw him head up to his office late at night when he finally had time to complete his own project.I have to admit that after spending all weekend with my daughter while a project for work had to be finished, I would have done it as soon as I got home.But Greg has different values. He never wants to tell a child, "I don't have time for you."The next morning I told Greg I admire the way he gives his children a most precious gift the gift of his time."I'm at the stage of life when I know it's not important how much money you make or what you accomplish. It's little moments being with family that really matter," he said.No wonder he's my favorite son-in-law.He laughs when I say that because he's my only son-in-law. But my admiration is sincere.I admire and applaud every father who knows that the opportunity for "father's day" is every day.But time flies, kids grow up and the opportunity to spend time with family evaporates.It's the wise father who knows that.