Since early 1989 I have been blessed with reason to be thankful every day of my life. Never did I realize at that time there would be more blessings to follow, that would give me so much joy.
Growing up, my family life was less than pleasant and while that is not something I want to spend/waste time reviewing, I do remember the feeling of fear in expressing and discovering who I wanted to be...never smart enough, quick enough or in the right place at the right time. Parenting is not easy and I will not pretend it is harder now than it was when I was a kid. When I look back over the past 18 plus years, I realize that parenting is not about being right or "getting it right" all of the time. In fact, sometimes the best we can do for our kids is demonstrate that life does not always go the way we want.
I am blessed with two boys, sorry, young men. (harder to say because it makes me old and a little less useful) Each of them is blessed with a strong sense of who they are and what they want from life. Just for the record, neither is perfect. They make mistakes, they have been known to use bad language, get angry, not tell the truth, forgotten to take out the trash, clean their rooms, call their Grandmother, scoop poop, etc. They are not perfect, but they are normal, healthy good young men. They are confident, loving, considerate and I have seen them step up for others and protecting the value of those who are challenged or different. Still, this is not the biggest reason I am thankful for my sons...
My joy comes from the simple fact that even when I was a grump, tired from excessive hours, travel and generally not in the mood for any form of silliness, they were silly. They kept me from taking anything too serious, or more serious than my family. With the help of their Mother, my tirades about the aforementioned trash, poop and dirty rooms, became material for the "Dad is crazy" comedy festival. Don't get me wrong, they have always been respectful, just not afraid. Believe it, or not, I am not always a sensitive "touchy-feely" person. My career was based upon a very firm belief that feelings cannot be present to be successful. The boys have not fallen for that, ever. Whether I am being wrestled to the ground being told "Someone need's a hug!", or being run into the ground trying to keep up during a "simple" workout, or simply being abused for my personal "ticks" developed over years to intimidate the fiercest adversary, my boys have given me the most special gift I could ever ask for...they kept me from becoming my Dad.
That is what I am thankful for this year...among all of the blessings I am certainly thankful for, this stands out the most as I see my boys grow into fine young men.
No comments:
Post a Comment