Legacy

My son, the oldest of my two children, will celebrate his second birthday tomorrow. Being a father is the most amazing and yet scariest experience of my life to date. It takes much more than just being present, just being visible, to be a Dad. It takes interaction. More importantly, it takes genuine effort.
I believe anyone can be in the same room with a child and call it parenting... I call that babysitting. I further believe that most parents are just too lazy to play, to teach, to raise a child that will be better than they are.
When put beside my wife, I have no doubt I am the image of what I have just described. She's incredible! The hardest working wife/mother I have ever seen. Odd enough, she tells me that she sometimes feels guilty that she's not doing enough for our children. That couldn't be further from reality. For instance, today, she has loaded up our son and our six week old daughter to take them to play at a "sprayground." Did I mention she's by herself... talk about SuperMom!
I witnessed an incredible moment the other day. She was sitting in the floor with our son helping him put together an alphabet puzzle. Help may not be the right word... she was teaching, encouraging, engaging! I was first impressed with how smart my son was, but then I was more impressed that my wife was still making the effort this late in the day. She had been with the two kids all day, had prepared dinner, done laundry... you get the point. A lesser person would have checked out at this point. I know she was exhausted, that's the life of a stay-at-home mom with a toddler and an infant, but she recognizes that her time with our children is precious, and you can't get back those moments that have passed.
Our children are our legacy. They are the image of us when we are no longer around. They pass our values and beliefs on to their children and their children and so on. Personally, I don't want to create a legacy of laziness. I don't want a legacy that lacks values, morals, hard work, fun, laughter, etc. I want my children, when they are parents, to be better than I am... only there's a catch. My children will have to work at being a parent. They will have to work at loving more, laughing more, being more silly, teaching more, sharing more... the list goes on. With the example of their mother, they'll be alright!
I am silly with my children. They give me an excuse to be a kid again... I don't want to be their best friend though, I want to be their father! I believe they will come to me as a father before they will go to their "best friend." This is my desire, and I know it will take a lot of work. And, the work will payoff in the legacy that I am building. All this legacy talk may sound selfish, but I'm proud to be a father, and I understand not only the privilege, but the responsibility that my Heavenly Father has given me as a parent. I'm pretty sure He desires to leave a lasting legacy as well.
I am not perfect. I just want to be the best I can for my family. And so, my journey continues. I will continue to learn from my wife, learn from my children, and grow as a father and husband. I believe we all should look for opportunities to grow as a person. My family has given me that endless opportunity.
Take hold of these opportunities yourself, and leave a legacy that you can be proud of.