I have a
photo in front of me, of our son, Peter, wearing a backpack filled with his
happy little daughter at her first baseball game. They are in front of the
Nationals Stadium in D.C., Peter wearing his Atlanta Braves hat. Lilly has on a
Braves shirt, covered by a Nationals bib. (Her mom, Ann-Bailey, is a Nationals
fan). We have other similar photos of the two of them, Peter with the special
baby backpack with Lilly on a family hike in the
Virginia mountains; Peter with Lilly in a smaller pack at the Woodruff Arts
Center, viewing the art.
It is so
heartwarming to watch our grown-up son interacting with his baby daughter.
Lilly Bell is only nine months old, but she has already spent some amazing
quality time with her dad (and mom).
This will
be Peter’s first Father’s Day as a Dad. He comes from a long line of loving,
caring, interactive fathers. He has had a great role model in his own father
and fatherhood seems to come naturally to him. Each male must find his own
style of parenting, but he is guided by the fathers who have been a part of his
life.
What does
it take to be a great father? Love certainly must be the first ingredient.
Without that, there is no foundation for the role. Although I’m sure it must happens,
I can’t imagine a father, who, upon meeting his child, does not feel a bond, a
kinship, and a deep swelling of love. The other fatherly traits build on this instinctual
love. Kindness, patience, nurture: all of these are important components of
fatherhood. It’s also important to give discipline and instruction, offered
with love. Conversations are also important; not one way monologues, but
speaking and listening. Already Peter and Lilly Bell have conversations,
although her vocabulary is somewhat limited at the moment. But he talks to her,
reads to her, and listens proudly to her babbling, excited by sounds that are
becoming actual words.
I have a
lot of pictures in my mind from Peter’s youth: Allan helping him build a racer
for the Scouts Pinewood Derby; the two of them cutting the grass, as Peter
followed his dad with his toy mower; the two of them going on a Scout camping
trip; and Allan watching Peter in a play or a soccer match. There has always
been time set aside for interaction; time for being together, sometimes as a
whole family, sometimes just father and son or daughter.
Just as
Peter and his sister, Katie, were blessed with a wonderful dad Lilly is blessed
to have Peter as her caring, loving dad.
