As we move into June, I’m thinking about Fathers and all the great gifts Dads bring to the feast called Family:

Creator

Two of the most powerful attributes of fatherhood are those of creation and protection.  When we speak of “fathering” something or someone, we’re talking about creating.  Of course a baby seems to be the obvious creation of a parent.  However, as has been said before, its easier to make a baby that raise a baby.  The creator role for a father begins at conception, but great Dads continue the creation process as long as father and child live.

Protector

Ask any Dad and he’ll tell you one of his main jobs, whether he likes it or not, is that of protector.  The role has almost primal roots as fathers feel the need to keep the family safe from all threats.  Dad’s not only pick us up when we fall down, they often teach us how to stand up on our own two feet and if we do fall, how to do so with style and grace.

Explorer

I can’t say that I have a scientific basis for this, but next time you’re out, look to see what position mothers and fathers hold their babies in those front baby carriers.  My informal survey has Moms holding the child facing toward her in a nurturing position, the baby often snuggled in and sleeping peacefully.  The majority of Dads have junior facing out into the world, eyes wide open, just taking it all in.  One of the great gifts Dads give us is permission to get out into the world, take some risks and explore.

Teacher

Dads teach in many ways and most of us begin our lives knowing our Dad is probably the smartest guy on the planet.  Of course, as we reach adolescence we realize that we actually have the knowledge and Dad is a bit of a lump.  However, our Dads endure that time, holding on for the day when ten or twenty or thirty years later, we begin to see the wisdom in his words.

Nurturer

More and more, I see fathers embracing the role of nurturer.  They are taking leaves of absence when their children are born and making time to be with their children as they grow.  When we speak of “mothering,” we’re talking about nurturing.   However, as every father and mother knows, “it takes two to tango.”  The creation and nurturing of our children is not confined to one parent or the other.  And besides, Dads give fantastic hugs!

Let me leave you with a few quotes to ponder as you consider your father and/or your own fatherhood.

When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.

~ Mark Twain, Old Times on the Mississippi

---

One night a father overheard his son pray: Dear God, Make me the kind of man my Daddy is. Later that night, the Father prayed, Dear God, Make me the kind of man my son wants me to be.

~ Anonymous

---

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts.

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;

For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

~ Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

---

Make it a great June!

Sharon McGee

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 27th, 2010 at 9:53 am and is filed under Leadership. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.