Joining The Club
A special club awaits me. In a few short weeks I will join a club that, although any father can join, not all choose to do so. The club doesn’t discriminate, it accepts all comers; any father can join regardless of race, religion, income or other status. The club’s been around for ages, since the first cave man set down his club and picked up his child. I’m talking about the Dad Club, and I’m honored to finally become a part of it.
I have no speech written, there’s not much to say that hasn’t been said. I don’t plan on coming in and trying to change what works. I only hope to do my best and make the other members proud. I promise to roll up my sleeves and do my best to keep my membership. Okay, now it’s starting to sound like a speech.
The Dad Club is a diverse group with many members, no one member is more important than the next. Famous dads and regular dads are all part of the club, along with short dads and tall dads, young dads and old dads, plump dads, thin dads, and every dad in between can be found behind its doors. There are no membership fees, as most of us will find that our money will be needed to buy diapers. And most members of this esteemed club will agree, that the most important duty is to be on the job and ready to put in the long hours, because kids need dads today more than ever before.
My qualifications are lacking, but I plan to make up for my thin resume with a relentless work ethic. My Dad was part of this club, as was his dad, and I hope to continue the precedent they set; after all, this is the chance of a lifetime, the most important job I will ever have, well that and the job of being a good husband. As we countdown these last moments and prepare for the baby’s arrival, I’m eager and slightly anxious to learn the ropes and get started.
I’ll enter the club doe-eyed and green–a freshman Dad who doesn’t know a swaddle from a bib—and I realize that I have a monster task ahead, a task that requires my time and energy. I know that my membership will bring many sleepless nights, along with the inevitable situations that will test my patience and abilities. Nonetheless, I happily accept the invitation to the club, and I’ll check my old habits at the door, bringing with me a selfless attitude and an open mind. Because no matter what the future brings, I hope to be up for the challenge. In the end I’ll keep in mind that I’m not the first person to go though this experience, and I’ll also look to the senior members for pointers and advice, as their experiences will help me on my along my journey.
As these new feelings wash over me I know that I’m ready to begin. I smile as the little guy inside my wife’s swollen belly bounces and kicks, practicing the movements he will soon be making outside the womb. With every thump and slide comes a rush of excitement, but at the same time just a hint of panic, because he has already managed to steal my heart. I guess this is where they say, welcome to the club.
About Pete Fanning
A first time dad who is excited, nervous, and just a little bit frightened by the task of raising a son. Lucky for me I have an amazing wife who is already a wonderful mother to our little boy. Read more over at my blog - www.fatherknowslittle.com
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