Blessing #44: Celebrating Fatherhood
To be a dad is to have privilege and responsibility beyond measure. To have a dad is an even more precious gift. Today, we celebrate fatherhood.
In many ways, fatherhood is a lost art. And it is an art. Being a dad is not easy - at least, not a good one. The minimum bar these days is to just show up and be there. But striving for the minimum is a terrible way to approach fatherhood. Great dads make all the difference in the home and in society. And thankfully, being a great dad doesn't require a PhD (though it can feel like it sometimes). But for so many, fatherhood conjures up more pain than fondness. Today, we celebrate fatherhood, and bless those who have never experienced its beauty.
To all the dads, may your journey of fatherhood be an all-encompassing joyous adventure, filled with pride, gratitude, responsibility, and feelings of competence. May you be the dad you hope to be, and may you cherish your kids wherever they are and whatever they do. May you parent with the skill and wisdom that you need and may your kids, however old, always know your deep, unconditional love for them. May you embrace the privilege and responsibility of fatherhood even if you never had great models yourself and may you know it's never too late to make a difference.
To everyone, may your journey of fatherhood bring healing, reconciliation, and joy because dads rarely get it all right. Where your journey has been full of pain, may there be a deep sense of healing, even when healing feels impossible. Where your journey has been filled with joy, may your heart dance with gratitude today. Where your journey is filled with longing for what could have been or what will be, may you find peace. May fatherhood, in all its beauty and complication be ultimately redemptive for you in all the ways your heart needs and desires.
Fatherhood is tough. If you know someone who could use this blessing, feel free to share.