Hero till the end
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- Category: Blog Monday - DadTalk
My kids might only be young but from the moment each of them was born I have had one major hope - that I would forever be their hero.
I want to be the kind of dad that will forever hold their admiration, respect, and confidence; the type of man they will forever admire because of the way I live my life with passion, fun, and integrity; that they will watch me walk out my days and desire to follow in my footsteps. (Yes, okay, so I may be a slightly more gushing kinda guy than most!)
I have often wondered over the last six years if I’m shooting for the stars, however, especially as being a dad has made me realise how short-tempered I am, how I like my own space, how unadventurous I have become – none of which feels conducive to forever being a hero? Is it wrong or unachievable to want to be the kind of dad that is there till the end?
I went to the funeral of one of my uncles about seven months ago – a man I deeply respected and loved. My cousin’s eulogy was heartfelt and full of emotion; however, one phrase hit a nerve in me. My cousin talked about how my uncle had taught him to be a man by teaching him to be a capitalist, to value money and succeed in life through the accumulation of wealth. Part of me loved that my cousin had such respect and love for his father and the other part of me thought: Dude...for real?
I want to leave a rich inheritance for my boys that shows in their character, their decision-making, the partners they love, their feelings toward humanity, what they sow into over the years of their lives...(sorry, gushing again!)
Maybe it has something to do with the relationship I have with my own dad or lack of it, I should say, but when I hear David Cameron calling his dad a huge hero and crediting him for the support and love he gave him, everything in me wants the same.
Can I say right now that I want the kind of eulogy from my sons that David Cameron gave to his dad: "My father is a huge hero figure for me, because he's an amazingly brave man...”.
From one dad to another: Rest in peace, Ian Cameron. You did us dads proud.
