Showing posts with label parents. Show all posts

You realize it more and more when you start to have children. You do everything that you can do to protect them. Keep them safe from people that is here only to cause harm and spread misfortune. You do your best to educate them and provide as much knowledge as possible so that they're able to navigate through the positives and the negatives. Even after telling them everything you know, you still feel as if its something you are forgetting. You hug them tighter and you kiss them as if it will be your last kiss. Telling them, "I love you" so many times as if it will echo throughout eternity.

Even after doing all of this, you still don't want to let them go...

But you know deep down inside, one day you will have to.

Your parents did it to you, and your grandparents did it to your parents and etc. I know its called adulthood, but I call it releasing into the world under the watchful eyes of God. Listen to me. You would think that I was about to say goodbye to a 18 year old newly high school graduate-ready to start her first year of college. Or at a wedding giving my daughter away to her soon to be husband. But in reality, I only have a soon to be three year old daughter with a lot time left until she is ready to spread her wings and be on her own. But I still can't help but think about the world we live in and the world she will inherit.

It's a cold world, people

I can't help but think about the innocence and the happy spirit my daughter currently carries with her each and everyday. I can't help but think about how the world will try and chip away that innocence until the only thing thats left is the terrible fad of being miserable. I just hope and pray that she will see beyond that. I just hope and pray that I am able to let her go so that she can see beyond that.

Letting your kids go into the world has got to be one of the hardest things to do.

My wife was telling me about a show on Oprah's network where they discussed "Fatherless Daughters", and how the absence of a father affected their lives. I'd admit, the show topic wasn't anything new to me. I know how important it is for daughters to have a father (or father figure) in their life, but no one never discuss the opposite. As a father of a two year old little girl, everyday she teaches me things that I don't think I would of learned by having a son. Ask the majority of men today if they want a boy or girl, and most of them will say, "A BOY!" And I will tell you why. Because they are scared. They are scared of the unknown. I still get comments from my male friends (the ones who don't have any kids or have only sons) today saying things like: "Man I don't know how you do it." And my reply is to just shake my head-but in my mind, what I'm really thinking is, "What do you mean?" I feel like the luckiest guy in the world. To have this opportunity to raise a girl into a woman is the greatest experience any man could have. But many don't see it that way. I didn't see it that way, at first. When I first found out my wife was pregnant with a girl, my first thoughts were, no football games, no camping, no first haircuts at the barbershop-you know, no typical guy stuff. Not saying that you can't do some (or all) of these things with a girl, but still this is what I thought initially. But now that she is here, I think I got a lot more than those superficial things. I feel like I'm getting a crash course in Emotions 101. Dudes are taught to never show emotions...Growing up you hear, You get hurt, WALK IT OFF! You bet not cry! Be strong ALL THE TIME! Don't show feelings, girls do that! Which translate over in their relationships with women and how they are willing to be there for them physically but not emotionally. Its like a endless cycle of men never learning how to communicate because they are not able to tell and show them how they truly feel. And women need that connection. Even after being married for more than 8 years, this is something that I still struggle with. Since the arrival of my daughter, I am listening more, looking for nonverbal cues, and learning to be more patient. I'm learning that tears doesn't mean find a way to stop her from crying, but to find out why she is crying in the first place. I'm learning that its important to hug, kiss and to tell her that "I love you". You noticed that I said "I'm learning" instead of saying "I've learned", because I'm still a work in progress. But the point I am trying to make is that having my daughter here made me realize that these things are very important and what is needed in my life, not only as a father, but as a husband as well. It shouldn't be all about boys and ONLY wanting sons. You never know, you may need that little girl more than she needs you. I hope to have a son one day, but I am thankful for God granting me this opportunity to become a better man.

So to whoever is reading this, I would love to hear your thoughts. Let me know if you agree or disagree.