The Giving Tree...

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One of the things I've learned over the last few years is to take advantage of the teaching moments with my clowns. There are times throughout the week that provide perfect opportunities for me to truly be a dad. To explain to them how to be strong, brave, polite, kind, and compassionate. Not that I'm not a dad all the other times of the day/week, but those aren't the times they'll remember. It's the teaching moments that make them who they are. That shape them. After all how many times have you said, Dad used to always say. Or my dad taught me, blah, blah, blah. Those are the moments I look forward to. Those are the moments that make waking up at 4 in the morning with a sick clown worth it.

Yesterday, as I pulled into the driveway, my two youngest were outside climbing a tree in the front yard. I watched as my son climbed, swinging from branch to branch with the look of triumph on his little face. He'd made it. Victory was his as he'd fearlessly climbed as high as he possibly could.

A few hours later I revealed to my six year old son how when I was a little boy, I never climbed trees because I was to scared. Afraid to fall.  Without missing a beat he looked up at me and said, well, you can't run from your fears dad. Never give up.

J-Tony