I wanted to take an opportunity to tell a story about my son Michael. Every morning when I am preparing to leave for work my boys ask me, "Daddy going to work?" On my days off I always respond, "No, Daddy will play with the boys." Well, now whenever my sons ask me me, "Daddy go to work?" they respond quickly before I can, "No, Daddy play with the boys." Last week we went through this daily ritual. I kept telling one of my triplets Michael (shown below) that I had to go to work. When he wouldn't accept my answer that I had to go to work I told him, "Daddy has to make money." I watched his eyes comprehend what I had just said, and he replied, "Okay Daddy make money." I gave him and his brothers a kiss goodbye and spent another three minutes preparing my laptop keys etc. getting ready to leave.
While standing in my family room Michael came up to me and said, "Daddy go to work, Daddy make money?" I looked down at him proud as a Father could be that he understood what I had told him. Michael then walked up to me, grabbed my hand and opened my palm. He then reached up with his other hand, and with his small fingers he gently placed three pennies in my hand. He then took my fingers, closed them around the pennies and then said. "Daddy make money, Daddy no work." Then a big smile filled his face and he said, "Daddy play with the boys." My eyes welled up as I picked up Michael and held him close. In the end, it doesn't matter how many pennies you make, but rather how many seconds you give to the ones you love. For all of the Father's out there in the world, take the opportunity to find the time for those things that are important. My Father went to law school, had two Master's degrees, and knew more than anyone I've known, but he was home every night, and was never too busy for me and my siblings. Now that he has passed, it doesn't matter how many pennies he made, but rather that he always had time to answer my question with a, "Yes, Daddy will play with the boys....."
While standing in my family room Michael came up to me and said, "Daddy go to work, Daddy make money?" I looked down at him proud as a Father could be that he understood what I had told him. Michael then walked up to me, grabbed my hand and opened my palm. He then reached up with his other hand, and with his small fingers he gently placed three pennies in my hand. He then took my fingers, closed them around the pennies and then said. "Daddy make money, Daddy no work." Then a big smile filled his face and he said, "Daddy play with the boys." My eyes welled up as I picked up Michael and held him close. In the end, it doesn't matter how many pennies you make, but rather how many seconds you give to the ones you love. For all of the Father's out there in the world, take the opportunity to find the time for those things that are important. My Father went to law school, had two Master's degrees, and knew more than anyone I've known, but he was home every night, and was never too busy for me and my siblings. Now that he has passed, it doesn't matter how many pennies he made, but rather that he always had time to answer my question with a, "Yes, Daddy will play with the boys....."