like the stars in the sky

Visiting my folks' church this morning, I stopped to chat with a longtime friend of the family. "Happy Father's Day," she said.

"Is there something you know that I don't?" I asked. "I'm not a father."

She laughed and tried to clarify by explaining my dual role as a teacher and father figure to many, but it came out like this:

"What I mean is, you've fathered many children this year."

Not as far as I can tell.