Being a dad is one of the most challenging things a man can do in life. Being a dad requires something more. Whatever this “something more” is, it has nothing to do with DNA and everything to do with the intangible parts of life. I’m sad to say that most men just don’t seem to have it anymore. Maybe I watch the news too much and I’m not allowing myself to get a fair view of the world. It just appears that more and more I have to search for examples of good dads in action. Didn’t it used to be the other way around? I remember growing up and watching classic shows like “Father Knows Best” and “The Courtship of Eddie's Father”. Those were great dads in action!! I still stop every so often and catch “Leave it Beaver” or “The Andy Griffin Show”. Why do we have to look for the Cliff Huxtables and Steven Keatons? Why aren’t they in plain site?
If art imitates life, then maybe there are more Al Bundys and Homer Simpsons than we care to admit. Sure every example I have used thus far has come from TV, but these characters aren’t just entertaining because they are quick with a one liner and have horrible luck. A portion of the fun had by watching these TV dads, comes from having known people that share the same traits and behaviors. These dads are out there! The difference is the networks are only allowed to show so much and would never be able to air the true horrors that some of todays fathers are getting away with
Being a dad…being a good dad is a never-ending task. Class begins the day the little guy is born and the semester lasts the rest of your life. Being a dad is hard work!!! The wife, the bills, work, moving up the corporate ladder, planning a future, helping around the house, yard work, keeping up with the cars, maintaining law and order, budgeting, watching the kids,being a moral compass, family time, alone time, time with the wife, time with friends, caring for pets, keeping track of people outside of the immediate family, grandparents are getting older, gas is getting higher, and your stomach is getting larger…these are just tiny examples of what a dad faces everyday. Thank God for Moms, cause there is no way all of this was meant to be done by one person.
With this being said, I want to introduce my cousin Luke. Luke is in his early twenties and has recently done something that needs to be screamed from the rooftops and wrote about in newspapers. Luke became a dad by choice and not by circumstance. When most men find out that the cute girl with the great smile has a brand new baby at home, they run so fast you would swear a DeLorean just hit 80mph. Luke just loved her that much more. Lucy and I have been together almost ten years and it took nine decide to have Fred. Don’t get me wrong. I wanted to be a dad; I just needed to ease my way into it. Not Luke. He just jumped in with both feet and promised to never jump out. He works a full time job, goes to school full time, cuts his grandparents yard every other week, takes his family to church every time the doors are open, and the whole time he’s talking about his wife and son.
Growing up, I never spent much time with Luke. I’m about 8 years older and more
self-centered than I care to admit. He was always the goofy little cousin that we never knew what to buy for Christmas. I remember him as this lanky, quiet teenager that never made that big of an impression on me. I didn’t like or dislike him, I never bothered to get to know him. I don’t see him this way any longer.... Though he’s still tall, it’s because he is standing proud. He may come off as quiet, but his actions speak louder than anything he could ever say. He’s somebody I’m proud to be related to. Somebody I’m thankful to know exists. An example not only to me, but also to every child, teenager, father, brother, grandparent, stranger he comes into contact with. He’s a good dad!!!!
As for what to get him for Christmas…it seems to me that he’s got all he could ever dream of and he deserves every bit of it.
Friday, August 25, 2006
The Book of Luke
Being a dad is one of the most challenging things a man can do in life. Being a dad requires something more. Whatever this “something more” is, it has nothing to do with DNA and everything to do with the intangible parts of life. I’m sad to say that most men just don’t seem to have it anymore. Maybe I watch the news too much and I’m not allowing myself to get a fair view of the world. It just appears that more and more I have to search for examples of good dads in action. Didn’t it used to be the other way around? I remember growing up and watching classic shows like “Father Knows Best” and “The Courtship of Eddie's Father”. Those were great dads in action!! I still stop every so often and catch “Leave it Beaver” or “The Andy Griffin Show”. Why do we have to look for the Cliff Huxtables and Steven Keatons? Why aren’t they in plain site?
If art imitates life, then maybe there are more Al Bundys and Homer Simpsons than we care to admit. Sure every example I have used thus far has come from TV, but these characters aren’t just entertaining because they are quick with a one liner and have horrible luck. A portion of the fun had by watching these TV dads, comes from having known people that share the same traits and behaviors. These dads are out there! The difference is the networks are only allowed to show so much and would never be able to air the true horrors that some of todays fathers are getting away with
Being a dad…being a good dad is a never-ending task. Class begins the day the little guy is born and the semester lasts the rest of your life. Being a dad is hard work!!! The wife, the bills, work, moving up the corporate ladder, planning a future, helping around the house, yard work, keeping up with the cars, maintaining law and order, budgeting, watching the kids,being a moral compass, family time, alone time, time with the wife, time with friends, caring for pets, keeping track of people outside of the immediate family, grandparents are getting older, gas is getting higher, and your stomach is getting larger…these are just tiny examples of what a dad faces everyday. Thank God for Moms, cause there is no way all of this was meant to be done by one person.
With this being said, I want to introduce my cousin Luke. Luke is in his early twenties and has recently done something that needs to be screamed from the rooftops and wrote about in newspapers. Luke became a dad by choice and not by circumstance. When most men find out that the cute girl with the great smile has a brand new baby at home, they run so fast you would swear a DeLorean just hit 80mph. Luke just loved her that much more. Lucy and I have been together almost ten years and it took nine decide to have Fred. Don’t get me wrong. I wanted to be a dad; I just needed to ease my way into it. Not Luke. He just jumped in with both feet and promised to never jump out. He works a full time job, goes to school full time, cuts his grandparents yard every other week, takes his family to church every time the doors are open, and the whole time he’s talking about his wife and son.
Growing up, I never spent much time with Luke. I’m about 8 years older and more
self-centered than I care to admit. He was always the goofy little cousin that we never knew what to buy for Christmas. I remember him as this lanky, quiet teenager that never made that big of an impression on me. I didn’t like or dislike him, I never bothered to get to know him. I don’t see him this way any longer.... Though he’s still tall, it’s because he is standing proud. He may come off as quiet, but his actions speak louder than anything he could ever say. He’s somebody I’m proud to be related to. Somebody I’m thankful to know exists. An example not only to me, but also to every child, teenager, father, brother, grandparent, stranger he comes into contact with. He’s a good dad!!!!
As for what to get him for Christmas…it seems to me that he’s got all he could ever dream of and he deserves every bit of it.
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