On Little Boys, Adventurers, Creators, And Warriors

I’ve heard it said that men are nothing more than little boys grown tall, and I’m certain there’s some degree of truth in that.  I still sometimes find myself thinking “…what if I could only…”  Yet, as I watch my little boys, I’m also taken aback by how much of that I’ve left behind.  Much to my chagrin.  The adventures of a boy, their sense of wonder, and (sometimes) reckless abandon simply can’t be duplicated.  Just yesterday, I watched them:

• Have a ninja battle
• Build a rocket launcher
• Construct a bridge
• Attack “The Evil Daddy”
• Console Mommy when she felt bad
• Taunt one another
• Race down a hillside
• Crash
• Comfort one another
• Get back up and do it again
• Chase a dog
• Turn into ghosts
• Become ghost hunters
• Befriend new kids

All of this before lunchtime.

Growing up is an inevitable, necessary part of life.  It should happen, and it will.  But I can also also see that we adults have lost, as well as gained, in the process.  Watching and playing with my boys, I’m struck by how much they give back to me.  I can only hope that I’m the friend, father, and mentor they deserve.  The more time I spend in this adventure called fatherhood, the more convinced I become that I may be more student than teacher.

Related posts:

1. Cracking Hickory Nuts With My Boys
2. Why America Is Obese