Monday, December 22, 2014

How Parents Change

I had dinner with Angie Lo this week. It was my first time meeting her son, Colin. I asked how life has changed with a son. She said that it was like night and day. She wasn't one of those people that long to have kids. She was never particularly excited about children, never one to play with them. Yet she said that life with Colin, even with all the inconveniences, is so much sweeter than she could have imagined. She still isn't particularly excited about children, but "I'm in love with this one."

I am reminded of something Benjamin Robinson said when his daughter was born. Up to that point, he was a calm and easygoing person, who would never raise his hand against anyone. Yet he describes how the moment she was born, a kill switch went off within him. He knew that if anyone would try to harm his daughter, he would end them. As it is said, "Anger is love in motion towards a threat against that which it loves."

Whenever my dad sees me with a picture of a baby, he asks "Doesn't that make you want one of your own?" My typical response is "Not really. It's nice, but eh." Yet I do wonder how I would change if I became a father. Granted, parenthood is not easy, and parents need to actively fight resentment, bitterness, or envy against their children from taking root in their hearts. I am not certain if I will ever have children, but it would be interesting to see if I become gripped with the same love as Angie or Benjamin.

No comments:

Post a Comment