Dad for Life

Being a Dad is special.  You don’t know how special, unless you have had children and raised them.  Unless you have been there, day after day, from dirty diapers all the way to the diploma; you won’t quite get it yet.  I am still in the dirty diapers stage with my 2 children.  My 3 week old daughter has prevented much sleep on my part lately, which is why I haven’t posted in this blog for a few days!  But I understand, now more than ever, how special being a Dad really is.  I have a renewed vigor for life, and a much clearer understanding of what my parents sacrificed for my brother and me. 

Any male can father a child, but that doesn’t make you a Dad or a Father.  A dog can father offspring, so what makes a Dad any different?  Sticking around and being involved.  Even when you would rather do other things.  A Dad is there for his wife and kids, through thick and thin.  Day after day, and year after year.  A Dad, a REAL Dad, sticks it out and loves his family.  That is what makes us different than dogs.  You often hear about men who get a woman pregnant, only to move on to a new and more “exciting” relationship.  But those are NOT Dads.  NO.  A Dad is there for his family.  He is a part of the family.

That’s really the point of life isn’t it?  To create offspring and teach them, worry about them, sacrifice for them and lead them.  Continue the life scenario.  If you are not a parent, you can’t understand the worry you feel about your children’s safety.  The concern you have for their success and well-being.  That’s not to say that you can’t have a fulfilling life without children.  Of course you can.  You can certainly accomplish great things without being a parent, but there IS another layer to life.  I know people who don’t have children who are extremely successful.  But there are depths of emotion and feelings of pride and fear, joy and anguish that they will never know.  Parenting (the right way, not just bringing a child into the world and leaving.)  Raising a family is the essence of life in the first place.

As a parent, your life focus changes from your single, non-parent years.  You now are affected by your family in every decision you make.  Like the farmer who sacrifices his life for his crop.  He works long hours, in the heat of the summer and the frozen months of winter.  He works from daybreak to nightfall.  He gives all that he has for the crop.  Sacrifice.  That’s the same thing that a Dad does for his family.  It doesn’t mean you give up on all of your hopes and dreams, but it does mean that you ensure your children can chase theirs.

I used to golf quite a bit when I was in my 20’s.  I enjoy the serenity, beauty and challenge of the game.  The problem with golf, aside from the fact that it costs too much to play, is that it takes several hours to play a round.  So, now that I have a 2 year old son and a 3 week old daughter, do you think I am going to go out with my friends and play golf for 4-5 hours?  No way.  I would much rather play hotwheels with my son or chase him around a playground or just sit and read him a book.  I haven’t golfed now in years, and I don’t miss it.

Priorities change when you become a parent.  They change in ways you can’t even predict.  I knew things would change when I had kids, I just didn’t really fully understand the depth of emotion and feelings I would have for them.  As it should be, they and my wife are my life.  My family is the most important thing to me, and that gives me strength and determination far beyond what I had during my single years.

Being a Dad is special, so embrace it.  Use it to motivate yourself.  It’s really the turning point at which you go from being a male, to becoming a man.  Be a Dad for Life.

Tags: anguish, dad, dadsworld, daughter, dirty diapers, emotion, family, golf, joy, mom, parent, parenting, peace, pride, sacrifice, son, wife