I Wish Dad Was There

My son is about to become a father. As I reflect upon how that experience changed my own life, I am reminded of this post I wrote as he was about to graduate from high school in 2006.,.

Yesterday was Senior Sunday. Tonight was Taylor's basketball banquet - the last of 6 years' worth of football, basketball, and all-sports banquets. Prom is next week and graduation a month away. The days are dwindling in the high school chapter of our baby boy's life, and my time as a proud dad in the bleachers has come to a close.

As I reflect on the dozens of youth soccer and little league baseball games, the dozens of Jr High and High School football games, and the literally hundreds of basketball games Taylor has played over the past 12 years, I still have the pencil printed page from a journal his first grade teacher had her students keep...

Yesterday I hade A Soccer Game. I did prety Good. The Game was A Tie One to One and I made That one Goll. I wish dad was There Becose that was first goll I made this seson.

I wish dad was there...

I had been gone that weekend to a retreat with some friends from college. It was a time of renewal and I don't regret having gone, but those words have always stuck with me. I wish dad was there...

I have missed very few of the athletic or other activities either of my kids have participated in. When Lauren went to Pepperdine, I made the trip to California to see her run at least 2-3 times each of her four cross-country seasons and was online every Saturday afternoon to see the results of her races on the west coast. I have spent more hours than I can count and have driven all over the metroplex to get Taylor to practices and games with select basketball teams.

It is difficult to describe the pride and pleasure of a father observing the performance and the efforts of his children as they contribute to an athletic team, a choir, a Destination Imagination team, a youth group. I'm sad to realize that I will no longer be able to experience those things, while at the same time I have great pride in his accomplishments and an excitement for this next chapter in his life. And I commit that whatever the next chapters bring his way he will not have to say I wish Dad was there...
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There have been many milestones already in the lives of both my children, and I have committed to being there as they have faced decisions about school, about work, about life and all those little things that occur as life progresses. As Taylor and Emily prepare to have their world rocked, I continue that commitment. I know that they will be wonderfully loving and capable parents, and I am thrilled to be there for this next step in their journey through life.