A Fathers Love

Much is talked about a mother’s love and it is indeed a wonderful thing. After all, once we become a parent, we never lose that powerful love for our ‘babies’ do we? However, little is ever written about a fathers love except in the context of God’s Father love for us. So, here is something I wrote to my two boys about 25-30 years ago. I found it recently and I wanted to preserve it for them now that they are grown and now they are fathers themselves. I simply updated the final few lines.

Ode to my sons

Matt & Iain, I loved you from the day you were conceived
Every moment of your existence
Is more precious to me than my own.
I loved your first moments of life,
When you arrived, protesting into our world
From the warmth and comfort of your mother’s womb.
I loved you as you grew, watching, learning
To be the warm and loving little boys
Who crawled into our bed for comfort,
Warmth, love, or mischief.
I loved you as you went first to school
Bright eyed with wonder and curiosity
Yet, perhaps, a little scared of this new adventure.

I loved you then as precious years flew by.
I’m so sorry if I seemed distant, or not interested,
Or too tired, or grumpy – or worst of all
Only interested in something or someone else.
Can you forgive my lack of recognition of
Your wishes, your needs of me as a father,
Or of your rights as a fellow human being and my son?
Please God that you can; for I would be
More broken hearted than you could ever realise
If we drifted apart now.

Although you may not realise it, I need you now
More than ever before. I love you now
More than ever before, and I have probably more lost time
To make up with you than either of us knows.
Let me love you still, still show you those things
That both of us want.
Most of all, let me share your life again
And share with you that love which we both still need
Before it’s too late and we lose each other.
I need your love as well –
And as much as I hope you still need mine.

You are grown now.
Both men, fathers, and out in the world.
You have earned my respect and gratitude
For being the sons of whom I can be, and am proud.
You will still make mistakes – we all do –
And you will taste the success
You have worked so hard towards.
Remember – I am still here for you, praying for you,
Thanking God for you and your families.
Always will be.

With all my love – Dad.