Happiness From Being a Dad

At church I heard a good brother testify that happiness stems mostly from our family relationships and our roles as members of a family unit. I believe that is one of the reasons God designed the family unit, to help us learn how to be truly happy. And that is true for dads as some men reminded me this weekend.

Yesterday during a stake sponsored activity, a friend of mine was carrying his little boy on his shoulders, his two beautiful little girls running around him pulling on his hands and shirt. He seemed quite happy with his beautiful children.

Today at church, I saw one happy father. He was holding his little boy (probably just a few months old) in his arms. He cradled him as he sat during church and soon the little boy was sound asleep comfortably resting on the arms of his dad. I love that sight.

This is the real thing...they

were all hanging from dad

even if only for a split second!

I think they'll hang on to him

for a lot longer than that.

Then I saw this picture on Facebook of my brother-in-law with all five of his kids hanging off him with the caption "I told my wife that I would know that I'm old when I can't carry all my children at the same time. I'm not old yet!" His happy countenance is an indication of his happiness as a father, not to mention his satisfaction knowing he's not 'old' yet! (which he wanted me to point out in exchange for his permission to use this picture!).

In all cases, these are outstanding fathers and husbands, and great examples of the happiness that comes from those two most important roles. For me that happiness is greater than anything I have ever experienced and worth any sacrifice. I would not trade it for the world!

Boys Will Be Boys?

Note: this post was written the first week of August during an all LDS Scout Encampment but for some reason wasn't published as I thought it was.

Over 800 LDS Boy Scouts and Leaders at Camp Rotary
ready to start church services.

Being with a group of nearly 900 Boy and Venture Scouts, all LDS is a sight to behold. It's a time for friendship, a time for learning, a time for teaching, a time for adventure, and a time to have fun!

And there is no better way to do it than with your own sons. So here I am with my to oldest sons and savoring every moment like a well cooked filet mignon! (unless you are vegetarian of course!). Seeing dads with their boys is such a nice thing to see but what's touched me deeply is seeing dads who are here even when they have no sons to hang out with. Hats off to all of them, especially those without boys. They are here out of love. I hope my boys recognize that.

Most adult men here reach out to young men and become role models. They sacrifice their time, energy, and resources to be here in the hot, humid summer days with boys that will some day hopefully do the same for other boys, maybe their boys.

Thank you Greg, Steve, Everett, and all those who have gone before and who will go hereafter to these camps to provide leadership, friendship, and love to my boys and to all boys. Because as someone said at one of the firesides, "boys will be boys? No, boys will be men" and I will add, boys will be dads!

Missing it already…but there is more to look forward to

My little Josh still loves to cuddle
with dad.

It was a rant, well, not really but my kids may have thought it was. It went like this…

"Parker doesn't like me to hug him any more, Luke, lets me but he doesn't hug me back, Helaman…nope. The only one that still hugs me is Camille and Joshua. Parker still let me hold his hand just a year ago but now…he'll slap my hand if I even try! You guys have grown and changed!"

My little Josh still loves to hug me and cuddle with me. So does Camille. But soon, they too will change. They grow. They change. One day they wake up and realize it's weird to hug dad, to hold his hand, to sit on his lap, to be kissed by him.

Nothing compares to the feeling of holding a little hand, pressing your cheeks against a soft chubby little cheek, or cradling a little child in your arms while telling him or her a story that makes them laugh or giggle.

Maybe not everyone enjoys it like I do. But I venture to say that most dads feel a twinge of loss, longing, even sadness, when they realize their little boy or princess has grown up and have changed. I do. That's why every day I enjoy each moment with my children. I hope it's not smothering. But I take every chance I can to hug them, kiss them, have them on my lap, tickle them, hold their hand. That is, until they grow and no longer accept such affection.

The other day, my oldest son (15) said to me "dad, can we go throw the ball later today?" In my mind's eye I saw a cute little boy (he was very cute and chubby as a toddler) pulling on my hand with his little hand asking me to play with him. Then it dawned on me!

I said 'yes!' readily. And though it wasn't the feeling of his soft chubby hand, I felt a similar sense of satisfaction and happiness, and love for my son, who although bigger, taller, stronger, more mature, and with the deep voice of a grown man, he is still my boy. A boy who wanted to be with his dad.

Playing a physical one-on-one basket ball game, or throwing a football is what I have come to enjoy, in a different way, but just as much as hugging him and holding him tight (though I still do that but in a different way).

So while I continue to cherish those precious few moments I have left with my little ones, I will miss my little boys and little princess when they are grown. But I'm learning there is much more to look forward to that can be rich and satisfying. Because a dad will always be a dad.