My son came into the world last week, on June 18th at 2:54 AM (Quite the inconvenient time if you ask me.)
It’s hard to describe the rush of emotion you feel when you see your child for the first time. It’s mostly an exceeding joy, but there was also the realization that I’m now responsible for this little human. His view of the world, how he does things, and who he will become will be molded through my influence… As the patriarch, I feel the biggest responsibility for my family.
It’s a weighty thing to know that you determine how a child’s life will be. For most people, their father and mother are the most influential people for their entire lives… I know my parents were and still are…
I know there will be such a long journey ahead…
Teaching him what it means to follow the Lord…
Teaching him right and wrong…
Teaching what it means to be a man…
Teaching him how to treat others with love and kindness…
Teaching him what forgiveness means…
Teaching him how/when to stand up for himself…
Trying to find the balance of strong discipline without it being overbearing and too much…
Letting him stumble and fall and be the loving arms to comfort him…
Making sure he knows that he is loved, regardless of the circumstance…
Making sure I tell him how proud of him that I am…
While it’s an extremely daunting thing to think about, I’m still excited.
Excited because I know that my wife and I will work together to raise our son as well as we can.
Knowing that I am not alone in this journey makes a huge difference.
Grateful for all the people around us, our families, our church, and our friends.
It’s going to be a long, difficult, and utterly fantastic road.
ZackMassa 