Parenthood is both a blessing and a hard curve of human development and learning. It's a fast track, I think, in showing one where one's communication and action skills need some buffing and refining. We do the best we can, but along that road there are many opportunities for self-examination and redefining of who we are. It's not pleasant, but it's accurate, and that's saying a lot when it comes to getting a clear picture on where your own upbringing deposited you along the journey of becoming a well rounded, fully functioning, healthy human being. A Clear Picture is a great asset when it comes to knowing the truth about yourself and from where to proceed in order to move forward.
Your offspring shows you all this if you're looking in that direction. It's there for the gleaning, whether you look or not really. Even if you deny it, it's still there. To me, it's an opportunity to grow as a person, to work on the patterned behaviors that were passed down in my family. Every family has them; they can just be thoughtlessly passed on, or we can work hard to heal some of the 'holes' in our family lines themselves. It seems as though we get the opportunity to do that afresh with each generation of the family kernel: grow towards wholeness or 'telegraph' previous hurts and reactive behaviors through the generations.
I'm certainly no hero, but being triumphant in the small things, as a father, is something that I aspire to. Also, I guess it's a work that's never really completed; there's always the 'next thing' to work towards, but I feel that it's a 'Work' that is truly comprehensive on every level and the Absolute best thing for me, as a father and a human being. I am Grateful to be a Dad, and embrace it with my Whole Heart. My prayer is that I turn out to be a good one: a good Dad and a good Person. It's some heavy work, but well worth it.