Never Only

Isaac was feeling better Friday and the weather had cleared, so we walked to the nearby movie theater to see The Croods.  It was an average movie with a common theme -- daughter feels misunderstood by her over-protective father whom she misunderstands but in the end they overcome their differences and have a strong father/daughter relationship.  Not the best children's movie I have seen, but not the worst.  Isaac liked it and I like seeing him laugh.

My late-thirties self tends to sympathize with the dad (or the mom, as the case may be) in these kinds of plots.  He is doing the best he can and his ungrateful daughter (or son) needs to show him more respect.  If I had seen the same movie as a teenager, or even in my early twenties, I am sure I would have felt differently. Parenthood definitely changes your perspective.

Isaac is pretty lucky to have the father he does, and while we will try to listen and be open to his opinions as he grows up, there will be many times that he, and we, will feel misunderstood and frustrated.  I just hope he can remember that we are doing the best we can.

Only a Dad by Edgar Guest

Only a dad with a tired face, 
Coming home from the daily race, 
Bringing little of gold or fame, 
To show how well he has played the game, 
But glad in his heart that his own rejoice 
To see him come and to hear his voice. 

Only a dad with a brood of four, 
One of ten million men or more. 
Plodding along in the daily strife, 
Bearing the whips and the scorns of life, 
With never a whimper of pain or hate, 
For the sake of those who at home await. 

Only a dad, neither rich nor proud, 
Merely one of the surging crowd
Toiling, striving from day to day, 
Facing whatever may come his way, 
Silent, whenever the harsh condemn, 
And bearing it all for the love of them. 

Only a dad but he gives his all
To smooth the way for his children small, 
Doing, with courage stern and grim, 
The deeds that his father did for him. 
This is the line that for him I pen: 
Only a dad, but the best of men.