Fatherhood. From the onset let me say everyone doesn’t share my experience. Good, bad, or indifferent, for better or worse. I respect your experience whether having a father in your life or not, if you feel you’ve missed out or not. I’m not here to say you have or haven’t. I’m sensitive to this subject as it summons a variety of memories and emotions for some.

I’ve been fortunate to hear opinions on Fatherhood from a sundry of viewpoints. From the pain of having an irreplaceable Dad in the home and having him ripped away by death, an accident, sickness or another unfortunate circumstance, particularly at a time they needed him most (in some cases was out of your control and his) 

Perhaps you never met your father because you were too young when he passed. There are some fathers who were too volatile to be in the home because of the harm and unrest to mother and siblings. In these cases, when the father was removed it restored peace to the home as some have said, even while some children  still wanted Dad there to keep the family together regardless.

There is also an example of the father who was present but absent, being inside the home but his presence being nothing more than, symbol without substance. 

I may never exhaust the wide range of experiences each person may have about Dad inside or out of their lives. Fatherhood has always symbolized something publicly, even historically.

The expectation of a Dad depending on the era, represented something to the model of family in years gone by. 

Father meant, protector, provider, a source of wisdom and strength inside and out. This was the conventional line of thought when it prevailed.

Like children who come with instructions from the Bible; 

“Train up a child in the way that he should go; when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6,  

although this describes the parental instructions, children don’t automatically come with direction. 

The direction they should take is typically determined as they grow and develop. This is when you hear them say; ‘I want to be a doctor, lawyer, scientist, dancer, movie director etc. Even when they may not show proclivities to that specific occupation. This is when direction is needed. 

Listen to what the Bible says about children and direction 

3 Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him 4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Psalms 127:3-4 NIV 

Children are like arrows in the hands of warriors (parents) who have the responsibility to discern the direction of their children based on their strengths and leanings, but most vital, is God’s purpose for their lives. 

This was God’s original ideal, but not everyone’s experience even with the best of intentions of the parents who did their best.

This is why children can exemplify a direction in their adult years, quite different from the instructions of their upbringing. Dad’s are no different, who were also children at one time.

Fatherhood, in this ever changing world, like everything else seems to be determined by the general populace. 

Opponents of their ideas are often met with pushback from those seeking to maintain the standard or the status quo as they remember it. 

Some of the ideas may not be applicable as it may not be practical. Like the symbol of family supper time. A time when everyone ate together and discussed the day or children listened to what their parents discussed. 

These things may not be possible in our time because of work and school schedules, sports schedules with parents and children, or may no longer hold the relevance to the parents as it once did while growing up.

Fatherhood shaped my life. Willie James Chambliss. A great Dad, great provider and loving man to his family. You play the cards you’re dealt as a father and you do what you know and feel is best for your family.

My Dad and I talked about his regrets and “if I could do this over” convos, but he was the best Dad for me, he LOVED me and proved it. 

Today, my Dad would have turned 96. I got more than most from his life as a father and I’m eternally grateful….. Happy Heavenly 1st Birthday Dad.

anablepsis.