Fatherhood

Fatherhood is one of the greatest privileges in the world, as well as one of the greatest responsibilities. It is a privilege because not all are able to experience it. It is a responsibility because it enables you to shape the lives of others in a way that is unique. It can easily be viewed as the most or second most important earthly task that you will ever have.

Today, at least in the US, we honor fathers. The question is: should we?

You see, fatherhood is both easy and not.
For most of the world, fatherhood is easy. Quite literally it takes nothing more than siring offspring. A merely biological function that is nearly identical to what many animals do. Congratulations! You have convinced a female to reproduce with you and carry that child to term.
To all too many, that's the end of it. They may or may not even stick around to see the consequences of their actions and know about their child at all.

The next step up is only more in the most simplistic way. Choosing to have a role in a child's life and to support them in food, clothing, and shelter is still little more than what many animals do. Lots of other male creatures help shelter and protect their young until they have developed the basic life skills to support themselves on their own. Raising and protecting a child, sending them to school to get an education and being equipped in reasonable form for the workplace is the human equivalent of a predator sharing their kills with their own offspring and teaching them the rudiments of hunting. It produces those who have the basic skills for life and can function.

If that's all that fatherhood is, it's a shame.
The problem is that such shame exists all around.
The repercussions of such fatherhood are damaged relationships, damaged people, and dysfunction. It is everywhere, and much of the fault belongs to the fathers.

There is another way!
The view that fatherhood is a privilege. The view that each child that we bring into this world is a unique, special soul that we have a responsibility toward. Not merely a responsibility to present to adulthood alive, reasonably healthy, and with the ability to support themselves; but instead an adult that has seen patterns of love, right decisions, and taught how to think properly, so that they are neither confused nor hopeless in this world.

All positions of authority should have the same mindset at their core: I have this position in order to better those under me, not to work my own desires and have my own fun. Fatherhood is authority. Rather than playing games with our "rights" to do something our way, we have to consider what will do good for those that we have a responsibility toward.

Yes; fatherhood should be honored. It is a powerful and special thing.
But much more so than just being one who was capable of and did bring a life into this world; we should honor those who have been GOOD fathers toward us (some not even physically but through marriage or other relationship).

For those of us who hold the office of father today or look forward to having that office in the future; consider your ways. Which kind of father will you be?