When Daddy Comes Home

"It is a wise father that knows his own child." - William Shakespeare

   It's the best feeling to come home to a round of "DADDY'S HOME!!!" For just a minute I'm a rock star. I get all the attention, hugs, and loves I want. In fact, as I approach the door, I anticipate the reaction of walking on stage for my moment in the spotlight. Will I surprise the audience, or will it be stepping out to a welcome crowd? Sometimes after a long drive home, I don't think about how we got to where we are. Other times I realize that there's a reason they go CRAZY for daddy!

   Even with my own father's distant nature, I remember looking forward to him coming home. He'd occasionally bring home a rare treat that we'd never seen before. He sometimes bring home a fun trinket  or unused tool of some sort for us boys to play with. For the most part, it was just the anticipation that he might, for once, and for a limited time only, play with us. He worked into the dinner hours and sometimes just made it to tuck us into bed. We still waited for him to come home though, and we waited every night. 

   I think we need to remember our audience has been waiting by the stage all day for us. Think of how we feel when Axl Rose doesn't come on for an additional three hours. You really want that kind of riot in your place? Nah, let's give them the show they want, and the one they deserve. Let's bring home the occasional treat, trinket, 'n such. Let's take a few minutes to ask how their day was, tell them how much we missed them, and maybe even spend a few minutes wrestling on the ground with the littler ones. 

I leave you with the words of a children's song we used to sing to my father when I was young. 

I'm so glad when daddy comes home,
Glad as I can be;
Clap my hands and shout for joy,
Then climb upon his knee,
Put my arms around his neck,
Hug him tight like this,
Pat his cheeks, then give him what?
A great big kiss.

Go get 'em dads. 

J.