Today is my son William’s First Birthday, and nothing has changed my life in a more positive way than having such a wonderful son. It is so amazing to watch him grow, and to sit back and be amazed at how quickly he is developing.
Along with being so proud of my boy, I have to say one year ago my wife gave me a very special gift, and I don’t think I could have handled all she went through near as well.
My wife is a great mother, and she works very hard to take care of Tell’s physical needs so I can have the pleasure of his company without worrying about spit-up and messy diapers…
As he gets older I am looking forward to teaching all the things I wish I was taught growing up. I am also looking forward to spending time with him and enjoying watching him grow.
But as much as I am looking forward to the future. I am enjoying the present. The last year was a whirlwind of excitement, and on William’s first birthday I am amazed at how much such a little package can change a life.
I took off of work to bond with my son – I guess men generally don’t take off of work as long as I did, but I had the time and really want to bond with my boy – I know he won’t remember any of this, but I will. Now, since I am off, I am doing a few things here and there that later, when Tell is older, I can show him that I was thinking about him.
This may seem a little strange, but one of my “projects” was to start on a war club for him. As a child I was very interested in Native American culture and handicraft. I remember reading about a custom of some tribes to tie an overhand know in a young tree, so that as the tree grows it turns into a knot perfect for the end of a war club. The idea was that is a father did this when his son was born, by the time his boy was ready to become a warrior, the tree was ready to be fashioned into his weapon. I clearly remember thinking, I wish my dad had the foresight to make me a war club, so…..
The video above shows the process of making William’s War Club, I doubt he will ever use it, heck – I pray he will never use it, but I bet we will think fondly of me as he looks at what I made for him when he was so young.
I spend a lot of time getting him things that he can use when he is older – I don’t think he will remember toys, but things like this and the lifetime hunting license I bought him at he second birthday will stay with him for life.
I cannot hardy contain myself – the weight of it and the wonder
Today, my son was born.
I spent years – decades really, waiting on him, preparing for him, finding his mother – ensuring that she was strong and able in all the ways I am not. I wanted to make sure I found someone that is better at expressing emotion better than I am. In case you haven’t noticed I use humor to dance around how I really feel, that’s a great coping mechanism, but not so good at letting a boy know where he stands in the world.
So I found a wonderful woman to be his mom, and MONTHS listening to her talk about baby clothes and nursery decorations. Important, without a doubt, but as a man, a prospective father I was worried more about how to teach him how to be a man.
It started with choosing his name, which I was able to do before I found his mom (it took me longer to convince her to agree to the name then it did to find it).
I wanted a strong name, a historical guidepost. But it had to be common enough not to get undue playground attention… I choose William Tell. Now most people are familiar with the story of how William Tell shot the arrow off his son’s head, and many people know it is because he refused to bow to the hat of a noble that was placed in the court square as a symbol of oppression.
Fewer know that William Tell drew two arrows that day, and after he shot the arrow off his son’s head the nobleman asked him why he drew two arrows since he obviously would not get a second try. William replied “Because if my first arrow killed my son, my second would kill you”… Obviously the nobleman did not appreciate the honesty or the sentiment so he took him into custody.
William escaped, killed the noble, and started the revolution that started the Swiss Federation.
Good story, it shows a man that is skillful, confident, honest, bold, and not afraid to stand for what is right even if it costs him. All ideals I want William to hold dear. These are the ideals that our Country needs but is losing.
But it does not stop there, I am sneaky…
William Tell is also a primary character in one of the best western series of all time, Louis L’Amour’s Sackett Series (in the movie he is played by Sam Elliot). Tell’s dad tells him he named him after a man he admired for his ability to shoot, and for doing what’s right.
I plan on spending a lot of time with Tell reading him Louis L’Amour westerns, outside the Bible, I doubt there are few places that pack so much knowledge on being a man than in those books.
As I look at him, I marvel, I see so much potential, a blank slate.
I wonder who he will grow to be. But as I wonder and wish for him to have a happy and successful life I don’t wish for him to be richer or have more, or easier a life than I have had – But I do want him to be happier, stronger, better prepared, more able to adapt. I want him to be the type of man that other men look to in crisis, a leader, a man with an unshakable moral foundation. I want him to be better than me.
I don’t care what he decides to do for a living, as long as he works hard at it, and is the best he can be.
I want the best for him, and for him to get it, I realize how much I have to do to help him prepare. My life has changed forever because…
