Badge of Honor

A badge of honor is a medal or a token that signifies an awarded honor or distinction (source: dictionary.com). Police have them, military personnel wear them, firefighters wear them, boy scouts earn them and display them with pride.

A couple of weeks ago I saw a friend at church with his little boy peacefully sleeping in his arms. The little boy rested his tiny head on his daddy's shoulder. My mind raced back about 15 years when our fist son Helaman was a little baby. I've always loved holding my little ones in my arms. This one memorable morning, he was peacefully sleeping and drooling on the lapel of my Sunday suit, the only one I owned at the time. Back then we could hardly afford dry cleaning so, I tried to be very careful not to get my suits dirty. But with a new little boy, spit up and drooling at church were common place and I learned to not only live with it but to cherish it. And so, the stain became a badge of honor, something that I was proud to display as a dad. Now, every time I see a dad with a 'baby mark' on his suit, I feel admiration for that dad who takes care of his little ones and cares more about his child than having a spotlessly clean suit every Sunday morning.

So, dad, wear the badge with honor!

(Photo by Maggie Smith)