-- Author Unknown --
If you look to the TV screen to develop the definition of fatherhood, unfortunately you will come up with a weak, clumsy distracted man who is far more interested in his own fulfillment than the well-being of his family.
Generally, the father is the fool of the commercial. He is the "nut" or prejudiced mind of the group. The father is the whimp -- not the leader, the reverenced glory of the family. Hollywood rarely gives us a man of conviction, principle and character.
Often, this is the progression of a child's view of their father:
When I was:
4 years old -- My daddy can do anything.
5 years old -- My daddy knows a whole lot.
6 years old -- My dad is smarter than your dad.
8 years old -- My dad doesn't know exactly everything.
10 years old -- In the olden days when my dad grew up, things were sure different.
12 years old -- Oh well, naturally, Dad doesn't know everything about that. He is too old to remember his childhood.
14 years old -- Don't pay any attention to my dad. He is so old fashioned.
21 years old -- Him? My Lord he's hopelessly out of date.
25 years old -- Dad knows a little bit about it, but then he should because he has been around so long.
30 years old -- Maybe we should ask Dad what he thinks. After all, he's had a lot of experience.
35 years old -- I'm not doing a single thing until I talk to Dad.
40 years old -- I wonder how Dad would have handled it? He was so wise and had a world of expereince.
| 50 years old -- | I'd give anything if Dad were here now so I could talk this over with him. Too bad I didn't appreciate how smart he was. I could have learned a lot from him. |
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Last Modified: March 22, 2003