I always wanted to be a dad, but I feared the responsibility. I also worried that I'd disappoint others as well as myself. Funny thing about concerns like that, they have a way of coming true.
The wise would counsel someone like me to pick myself up and try again but, how do you do that? Of all the aspects of living, fatherhood seems like the one area where second chances don't apply. People don't forget.
Anyone who has had the privilege will tell you that the title doesn't automatically grant you status, it has to be earned. The honest ones will also explain that there is no greater feeling than the thought a person, or people, calling you "Dad." It's a challenge worth pursuing. If you're lucky, those around you make you a better father, and on Father's Day, you'll receive either a card, a phone call, or a visit from family members. If you're really lucky, like me, you'll receive all three.
I'm grateful for the children and grandchildren I've been blessed with, but most of all, I'm grateful to the woman who made me a father.
