Father’s Day prince

At the lake, I saw a young daddy teaching his kids to fish. This dad was – just a boy, really – but in the eyes of his young children, a king! The scene flashed me back in time to another young father out with his children. For I, too, was once a boy- king like this one at the lake.

For a moment, I envied the young father this priceless time and privilege; time like this when my children knew that I knew it all; that I could do anything and everything. What a crowning feeling! But, what an obligation! Like this boy- king, I was oblivious to the latter responsibility; to these moments being formative; almost certainly the most important moments of several lives!

How can any father squander these defining moments in his children’s lives? For them, even the tiniest fish, a trophy; even the weakest and most selfish father, a king.

I wondered, “Is this boy- king not conscious that he is weaving lifetimes here? His every attitude, a warp; every inflection, a woof.”

No, I conclude, “He is not.” Trouble is, he is a king, but he still has a lot of boy in him; a boy seeking his own trophy, hunting his own crown while shaping his children’s memories, and attitudes, and even their future parenting patterns, right now!

I decide that I don’t envy the young father his imposing responsibility nor begrudge him his numbness to it. He’s not up to the job yet. None of us ever is.

But today, the king is here with his children. Not knowing that he’s incapable of this awesome job, he’s eager to keep at it. All the while, his young children see him as the best king ever.

Nature is merciful that way; compensating and forgiving and a bit blind on both ends of the budding parent- child bond. Patient, too.

This boy- king will need much seasoning and faithfulness. And luck. Didn’t we all? The consolation is that he, with his boundless enthusiasm, is here, this day, with his children!

That alone is a royal start!