Being a dad

Happy Father’s Day. 

Every time I think about the blessing of having kids, I feel a bit overwhelmed. 

I get it. The world is falling apart. The sky is full of smoke, there’s a battle between the “woke“ and that “anti-woke“, gender is fluid (maybe it’s always been?) the biggest war in our generation is going on, and I thought I was just here to have a little bit of fun! Why would anyone bring children into this mess?

It seems that my daughter was two years old when this was made, twenty years ago!! 

Children are our hopes and aspirations, we imbue them with our own missed chances, they will fix what we could not, and there is no greater joy for me than seeing them progress in the world.

I am so grateful  to have been able to witness my kids growing up. This is how I phrased it to my (ex) colleagues in response to a Father’s Day message this morning: 😀

Wait, this is supposed to be about Saturday!  I’m losing track of time (they say that is what happens after you retire), Every day is a Tuesday. Or a Saturday. 

On Saturday there was the “Ride for Dad” a fundraising (for prostate cancer) fun motorbike ride. I went with the father of my son’s girlfriend, we had a great day touring around the area surrounding Thunder Bay. He on his big Harley and me on my favourite bike, Rocinante!

Ok, this ride was actually without all the added touring crap (the pic above was from a tour I did around Lake Superior a few years ago). 

Yesterday was a nice day except for the parts when it decided to rain. Actually, even those parts were nice.

But how does being a dad reconcile with taking you life in your hands, riding a donor-cycle?

Hmm.

I don’t know, actually. Do we maybe set an example for our children, by confronting danger? (I don’t think that’s it. Sounds more like rationalization.) 

I suspect it is more like, I’m driven to do things that make me feel alive, even if that carries a real threat of dying. Ironic, isn’t it?  

So we went riding, and collected “cards” for the poker run.  We each ended up with a pair of tens and didn’t win anything with that hand.

Afterwards, I went by the sailboat, which I hope to see launched this week — we will see, maybe so. There was 2 inches of water in the bilge (again). Where did it come from? I cleaned it out. (Again.)

Anyway, not much in this post has much to do with being a dad except I’m so proud of both my kids! I hope they read this but I know, now that the big adventure is over, I’m down to a very select audience.

Including you!  Thank you . . 😀