.
As a father, I was a lot like Cat Stevens' old man. I taught him what I could when he was young, but tried to teach him to be his own man, and then when he was older let him have his head and do just that - go be his own man. If he ran into a wall, I was always somewhere in the background to advise him as well as I could, but he had to do it - I couldn't do it for him.
I was there every step of the way, or at least available for consultations, but still have a nagging feeling I was absentee. I was even there in the times he didn't know I was, hiding in the shadows and biting my nails... but keeping my yap shut, letting him figure it out... and figure out what he thought about it.
It's hard to tell a kid who idolizes you, who tells you he "wants to be just like" you, to not do that. Don't be like me, I'm a screw up. Be like you. Be your own man. Be better. Go forth and conquer your life, but do it your way, not mine.
But it pays off in the end, if you can do it.
In the end, they're still yours, and you still worry about 'em like they were still 5 years old, and reaching for the stove burner. You just have to trust 'em to do right.
So far, he has.
I'm prouder of my son than my Dear Old Dad was of his, but I imagine there's plenty of good reason for that. Pap's been dead 22 years now. that's one mark I'll never hit.
.
As a father, I was a lot like Cat Stevens' old man. I taught him what I could when he was young, but tried to teach him to be his own man, and then when he was older let him have his head and do just that - go be his own man. If he ran into a wall, I was always somewhere in the background to advise him as well as I could, but he had to do it - I couldn't do it for him.
I was there every step of the way, or at least available for consultations, but still have a nagging feeling I was absentee. I was even there in the times he didn't know I was, hiding in the shadows and biting my nails... but keeping my yap shut, letting him figure it out... and figure out what he thought about it.
It's hard to tell a kid who idolizes you, who tells you he "wants to be just like" you, to not do that. Don't be like me, I'm a screw up. Be like you. Be your own man. Be better. Go forth and conquer your life, but do it your way, not mine.
But it pays off in the end, if you can do it.
In the end, they're still yours, and you still worry about 'em like they were still 5 years old, and reaching for the stove burner. You just have to trust 'em to do right.
So far, he has.
I'm prouder of my son than my Dear Old Dad was of his, but I imagine there's plenty of good reason for that. Pap's been dead 22 years now. that's one mark I'll never hit.
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Diogenes was eating bread and lentils for supper. He was seen by the philosopher Aristippus, who lived comfortably by flattering the king.
Said Aristippus, ‘If you would learn to be subservient to the king you would not have to live on lentils.’ Said Diogenes, ‘Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to be subservient to the king.’
Said Aristippus, ‘If you would learn to be subservient to the king you would not have to live on lentils.’ Said Diogenes, ‘Learn to live on lentils and you will not have to be subservient to the king.’