Fathers: Be A Dad

You know the speeches. Even if you don't attend church, you've heard the specials on TV during Father's Day weekend. They aren't the gooey, lovey-dovey programs you see for moms. They're in-your-face "why aren't you more of a man" TV shows, designed to make men feel bad on the one day we would expect to be treated like the kings of our castles that we are. As I heard the same old talking points, this year something was different.

No, they still gave the same scolding that is due every year around this time to all of the dads in attendance; that much did not change. What changed is that now, this year, I am among the fathers in the audience being chastised. This year, I got to hear how horrible a job I've done at being a father, and what's more - a man. Another Mother's Day passed and my wife got flowers. I got a talking-to.

But the differences between years past and this year don't end at that. As I sat and listened and took in what was being thrown my way, this year, as a new father, I understood that they're right. For so long manhood (and fatherhood along with it) have been on a downward spiral, out of control, to the detriment of our whole society. And I finally realized why they yell at us on Father's Day. We, fathers, are in need of an awakening. They, the speakers, are trying to snap us out of the self-induced coma we've been living in.

Fatherhood has always been an important topic to me. Even before I got married I knew I wanted to be a daddy someday. From childhood I just knew I would one day grown up and be a dad myself.