The recent death of Steve Jobs was yet another stark reminder of the fragility of life. No matter how rich or famous you are, the grim reaper does not care. While I won’t admit how close in age Jobs and I are, I will admit that I fully recognize that my life could end any moment, though I pray it doesn’t. There is still too much to do, see, and too much work left to do.
One of the wonders of the Internet and my writing has been the reach it’s had globally. Not long ago, I received an email that began with “G’Day” from a man named Darren who had come across one of my columns. He wrote a wonderfully complimentary note and also told me about his fathering website and business. Clearly, though we live literally on opposite sides of the globe, our values united us instantly.
I asked him to send me something that expressed his views and what his site offers which is centered on adventures with fathers and their children, boys or girls. He also included some very relevant data that I totally agree with and that also makes me sad to read. How so many parents can spend so little time with their offspring is a mystery to me. The lasting damage is incalculable. I’m often struck by the clearly documented fact that human beings tend to recreate behavior they’ve learned whether it’s good or bad. That’s why abused children often become abusing parents. It defies logic, to me, but the evidence is overwhelming.
