Happy Fathers Day

I've been a father in title for over 20 years, but only really have understood the true role of being a father in half that time. As I grow in my journey as a father, as a friend, as a teacher, I realize that there is a sacred element to being a father that I am coming to understand slowly.

To me, a father is a leader not only within his family but also within his community, as his sense of responsibility extends beyond his own to look after those who may struggle. And to be clear, leadership is not be confused with tyranny, but more from a servant leader perspective. Simone Senik has presented some great discourse on leadership and why good "leaders eat last".

In the older religious era, a father was also to be the spiritual leader of the family, which was a form of philosophical stewardship. The father, along with the mother came together with spiritual guidelines to help their children grow into functioning human beings with a strong ethical compass. But to do so, both parents had to agree at a philosophical position beyond their own insecurities and occasionally pettiness.

As I study leadership and all its various meanings, I am discovering that I am called to carry a deeper level of responsibility for my family, my community, and the world at large, and the faster I am called to mature and leave old petty grievances behind.

Being a father has been the hardest and the most rewarding experiences in my life, and has shown me what it takes to truly be a leader in one's own life.

"Anyone can be a father, but it takes a real man to be a daddy." - Anonymous.