230. Fatherhood

I’m not sure what makes an American father different from other fathers or even what makes me a different type of father than my own dad, but I love fatherhood. I love being a father and I love being a son. I also feel special because I still have my dad, though I don’t see him more than once or twice a year.

There can be a sense of awkwardness about being a father. There are certain areas of life that we typically don’t talk about enough, but I think that’s true of all in person relationships, and I think that’s unfortunate but sometimes it’s just easier to keep some conversations pointed and not too personal. I used to think it was easier, and for a time it was, to talk to my mother, but now I feel like I’d rather talk to my dad about some things and not even broach those subjects with my mom. Aches and pains that go with aging are way easier to talk about seriously man to man, for instance.

I was lucky to always have my dad around. Some people have been known to be total dead beats as dads, not marrying the mother of their children or even involving themselves with their kids. Others, especially from my childhood era, spent too much time at work. That was never the way of my father or me.

I remember doing things with my dad like cutting wood out in the forest. We often took my grandpa along. My dad was super protective of his kids and would panic over any slight danger like choking or falling in the river, yet he supported us (reluctantly) in our rodeo pursuits. I do think he was happy when I broke my arm after being bucked off a bull and decided I didn’t want to have anything more to do with it. That kind of love that I received from my father made me want to be a dad too.

I took my own boys to Europe. We even lived in England for a year on a teaching exchange. We used to always cut a Christmas tree together. They both assisted me with setting up a cross country course while I was coaching and sponsoring meets. I think teacher’s kids get to spend lots of time at schools with their parents, but it was a great job for having children and I don’t regret a moment of it. So now that I’m a dad I have the privilege of having a physically challenged son who will live with us as long as we’re able. I love doing things with both my boys and I’m glad I don’t have to experience the empty nest. I love being a dad and I love my dad.