Being "Dad"

It is a state of being you obtain as soon as you have a child. You become a parent. In the case of the male gender, you become a father. To some (to way too many), this is no big distinction. Many men either leave a trail of "fatherless" children behind them as a result of philandering, or simply don't appreciate the joy of the children in their home.

I was and am immensely blessed. I had as my example a great dad. He wasn't perfect and he didn't pretend to be. But he was a good man, a good husband, and a good dad. I had a pretty good role model. I miss him immensely and wish he could be here to see me being "Dad." He got to see me in that state until my oldest was only three, when he was taken from us by metastatic melanoma.

Being "Dad" is both very cool and a large responsibility. The responsibilities are (or should be) pretty obvious. You provide the means to feed, clothe, and shelter your child. You are (or should be) responsible for disciplining them and showing them the right path. You should be modelling what a child of God should be. You assist in their education. You worry about them.

A lot of fathers get many of the responsibilities right. Sadly, a lot of them forget the cool things. I do too at times. But the cool things are what make being "Dad" so rewarding. The first time you hear, "I love you Daddy," you are filled with a great feeling. The hugs and kisses at bedtime, the evening ritual of brushing teeth and saying prayers is great. The first time your kid bounds into your arms when you get home from work, it's amazing. Watching your kid with other kids and adults can be pretty funny. Watching them figure things out is intriguing. Sweet little pictures colored for you while they are at school or waiting for you to get home are treasured items and come to decorate your office. I baptized my daughter when she turned seven. The tears, joy, relief and pride just about made me burst. Knowing she had accepted Christ as her
Saviour was one of the best moments of my life. Watching Collin tell his sister, "I love you Sissy," melts my heart.

My kids are now only 8 (Caitlin) and 4 (Collin). I know I still have a lot to learn about being a dad. I know a lot of very pleasant and some unpleasant experiences await me. I am not yet anything like an expert on "Dad-ness," but I must say it is a great place to be.

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