Anyone Can Be a Father, But Are You “Dad”?
Being present is just the first step to earning the title of ‘dad’
I’m one of those kids who woke up one day realizing that dad was no longer there. I was almost six years old. One of the most valuable lessons I learned was what NOT to do. That feeling was terrible. Growing up, my father’s absence weighed heavily on me. Who was I supposed to look up to? How was I supposed to act and defend my family? By running away?
Nah. Hard pass.
I made a commitment as a young man that if I were to have children, I would never leave them and do what my father did only having them visit for a few weeks each summer. I ended up having three children. All of whom I love to no end. Now that they’re grown, I often look back at what I accomplished as a father, and being present was one of my biggest achievements.
Why does something so simple seem like such a big deal? Being present is just the first step in being available for every trial and tribulation a child will go through. I was there for the hardest moments, the simplest, and the proudest times of their lives. Through each and every struggle I was there for them without question — never doubting their resolve and guiding them based on lessons I learned throughout my life, which was not an easy one.
