Superman

There was a song that I heard a while back by an artist Randall King. He has a song that is so beautiful it talks about the mortality of a father. It goes through the cycle of being a father and one of the lines in it shows how a kid sees their dad as superman when they are very young. It also goes on to sing about how your father won't be around forever. Obviously not as a real superman someone who can fly but a someone who can do what a small child can't. Dad can throw a ball the farthest, that I can lift heavy objects and dad's somehow have all the answers (or if we don't what we make up sounds believable). Getting to experience this is one of the greatest joys of fatherhood. It will fade and the kids will realize dad doesn't know everything and that they aren't as strong as they once thought. You won't be able to lift the heavy objects like you used to and you won't be able to keep up anymore.

Several years ago I tore my ACL skiing with my son and it has had a greater impact on my ability to keep up as I enter middle age. Now my kids are getting faster than me and getting heavier too. The other night I was putting my 4 year old back to bed after he woke up and he asked me to carry him, which i did without hesitation. Although on the walk back to the bedroom I realized something he was getting much bigger and he was also getting taller just hard to hold. That boy is my youngest and that phase is coming to a close. Where they can cuddle with me on the couch where i can toss them around and watch them giggle while delighting over that type of play.

While I have never been the fastest, strongest or best athlete, my kids didn't know that wasn't true. They never saw my flaws in those areas to them I was Superman to them I could do anything. I know that the illusion is ending and that they don't view me that way anymore. I will forever cherish the blessing that it is to be a father and get to be seen in that light. While i remain tired I will always gather whatever I have left in the tank to engage with my kids. This phase doesn't last forever and the rest will come eventually but until it does I will give it my all, to raise them up to be the next superman.