Russell Wilson:
Every Saturday morning, my family would go to the grocery store, and I only had one thing on my mind. I’d hop up onto the front of the cart like I was the captain of a pirate ship or something, and I’d point my mom in the direction of Aisle 9.
But she wasn’t having it. First we had to get the boring stuff. Veggies. Bread. You know, all that stuff.
Then we’d finally get to Aisle 9, and it was on.
The greatest aisle in the world.
The cereal aisle.
This story doesn’t go the way you think it does. I took my “new” 12-year-old son to his first day of high school yesterday. It’s the first time I’ve had the honour of doing that. Walking home, I shed a couple of tears – of happiness, of pride and just a little bit of fear. In that moment, I realized, “Holy crap – I’m a father now. I’ve got responsibilities towards this kid. I’ve got to help him grow up to be the man he wants to be.” Russell Wilson is lucky he had a dad to help show him the way. Not all kids do.
Because of my lifelong single-hood (with one disastrous six years of which I won’t speak) I went straight from bachelor to “pop-pop.”
Being a grandpa is awesome. I highly recommend it. I do regret not having the joys of parenthood. Life had other plans. But settling into being a grandparent makes clear what “grand” means. Glad I was able to experience it first hand.
Thanks for this post, Shawn. You’re going to be a really good dad, and that’s one of the greatest things that can be said of someone.
Wow. Thanks Richard. That means a lot to me.
Brilliant post Shawn, made me tear up. You’ll do fine. Life is messy, it’s inevitable, it’s what you (and your son) do with the messes that count.
Not all kids, indeed. I envy almost anyone who’s had a dad, including your 12-year-old.
Aw! Thanks man!
Thanks Richard. That’s kind of you to say.
I married into an existing family: I got a 14 and a 19 year old. The 19 year old had flown the coop already but I had to work it out with the 14 year old and it was quite something. When she got married both her biological dad (who became my good friend, go figure) and I walked her down the aisle. Of course all of us have had our ups and downs but to this day we all spend all holidays together and that younger step daughter produced a grandkid who herself is now 17 and looking at colleges.
Sigh… gettin’ old but it’s been a great ride.