A Fatherhood Epiphany

My family went camping this past weekend for the second time this year. Why might that be in any way significant? Considering my wife is not the camping kind and she suggested we go, I think you can get the rest.

I would go camping with my friends growing up and later as a young adult. The camping trips were usually centered around fishing. As I got older and then got married I stopped camping and fishing. It wasn't that I didn't enjoy doing these hobbies; it was just a matter of time and focus.

I became centered on my career or more accurately how to change it. I began going to school part time. Then my first daughter was born. I found a new job which I grew to hate in little time. So I decided to start my own business. My second daughter came along soon after and things were really hopping in my life.

Fast forward to this weekend and camping. My girls are now 5 and 8 years old. Life is still busy, but the girls are not as immediately demanding of attention like when they were babies. They are wonderful, smart and fun. Like all kids they want to do stuff all - the - time!

What is simply fantastic about children is they have such open imaginative minds and a super sense of adventure. So getting them to do or try something new is not usually that difficult. Or they have already found and decided to do something new and you are pulled into it under mild protest.

So here we are camping and the girls saw the place has canoes and kayaks. They want to go out on a boat. Cool, I haven't been in a canoe in years. We rent the canoe and all four of us go out for an hour.

The girls wanted to try fishing from the boat, but I thought we should stick with sight seeing. They had a blast and as soon as we were on shore wanted to know when we could do it again.

Sitting around the camp fire that evening I realized I was again doing things I enjoyed. My life had come to a place where everything was sort of smoothing out and coming full circle. The difference now was my daughters.

Before my first daughter was born someone had given me some wise advice; make your children part of your life, do not live your life around them. Those words have stuck with me and I found some meaning in them this camping trip. I was rediscovering things I had taken pleasure in earlier in life and was now sharing them with my daughters. It was an unexpected revelation to find intense happiness from sharing what I love with those I love.

Could there be anything better than that?

James Quarello
NRSB #8SS0022
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

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