For the last 4-5 years I have been posting every Sunday here on Live And Let’s Fly, but this Father’s Day is different. A little more perspective, a little more wisdom, and a lot more love.
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Perspective
I’ve shared in the past couple of weeks about some events that affected me. It reminded me how precious life is and how important it is to be present. My father retired this year after more than four decades with the same company, and my father-in-law has been retired for some time. They are both getting older. I haven’t traveled with my father in a meaningful way in almost 15 years.
I need to take more trips with him and show him what I have experienced but be open to seeing new places as we did in South America in the past. He showed me what it was to get on a plane, see the world, and learn something new. Now it’s my turn to show him some things and spend some time with him in a way he wasn’t free to do until now.
A New Addition
A few months ago, we welcomed my son Frankie. We weren’t expecting to have a long gap between our children, in fact, we were pretty sure we were done growing our family with my daughter. But we have been blessed with arguably the cutest little boy in the world, and are starting soon with a blank passport. Again.
We are completely out of practice and embracing the mistakes all over again. It’s back to figuring out how to travel with an infant, learning that it’s not all nurture, there’s certainly nature too that shapes who a person is, what they like and don’t like and how they will be. Frankie doesn’t like long car rides we have found, but he has done fine with reasonably short flights.
It will only be a matter of time, of course, before the ultra-long-haul trips return and we are going through all of the motions again, though this time, with a helper.
Slowing Down
If there was a benefit to the pandemic it was that I spent a ton of time around my family and they got used to me being home, rather than away. I got used to it too. It let me really appreciate how much I was missing when I was out every other week away from home.
With my daughter, we had something to prove. We had to prove to doubters who said, “you can’t travel like you do with a baby” and prove to ourselves that we could keep pace. If anything, we increased our travel regiment taking more trips than before. Our daughter was on her first international flight inside of eight weeks old, and by the age of four she was averaging a new country every two months. She had status at two years old.
If age has given me any wisdom, it’s that I don’t need to race other people’s expectations, and I don’t have to prove them wrong. With Frankie, the pace is slower. He’s been on a plane – we got that out of the way – and a number of road trips too, but well behind pace from his bigger sister. He doesn’t even have his passport yet – we haven’t even filled out the paperwork.
Don’t worry, it’s coming, but we aren’t in a hurry this time around to collect stamps. We are enjoying life as it comes and that’s just fine by me.
Happy Father’s Day!
Why are Republicans so obsessed with heteronormative traditions??
You don’t need to wage a culture war on someone who wants to share his excitement for being and having a dad.
Get over yourself.
Frankie is adorable!! Congrats on the new addition!!
Beautiful family. Congratulations
The bigger question is : would Frankie be a Cornhusker fan? Happy Father’s day!
Happy Father’s Day and nice article. My only tip is get an extra seat and bring the car seat onboard (when he’s a few months older). Far better for the kid and their sleep.
Congrats Kyle and happy Father’s Day
Congrats Kyle, and Happy Father’s Day.
If I may offer a piece of advice – take those trips with your dad post haste. You just never know when life will throw a cruel curveball in the health department, and make you regret not doing it sooner.