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Health & Fitness

A Dad Learns to Live Again: Son Teaches Father to Weeble and Wobble, but Never Fall

My four-year-old son teaches me how to not let life take away my joy.

As an adult with children, there are many times when the weight of responsibilities can take away the zest for living. If these external circumstances continue to mount, they can lead to stagnation or worse yet depression. Obliviously, this is not how we start out on life's journey.

I remember going through a period of stagnation several years ago. The children were much younger and I was in the process of separating from their mother. Watching my “ideal” family fall apart was mentally and emotionally crushing. I was still alive physically, but life had little inspiration. I was living, but I wasn’t really alive.

One day, I was talking to my mom about my then four-year-old son’s attitude. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing him, you’ve probably seen him smile once or twice (or more like all the time). He keeps a bounce in his step and genuinely enjoys being alive. I remember telling my mom how much I loved his outlook towards life. Whenever he would become hurt by some event, he would become wounded like anyone else. However, he would bounce back quite quickly. For those of you who are older, he was like the Weeble Wobble (see commercial). The commercial boasted, “Weebles wobble, but they don’t fall down.” I remember distinctly telling my mom how much I loved his attitude. My mom’s answer changed my life.

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She told me that I was the same way when I was his age. I thought to myself, "Really? I used to be this fun-loving child with a bounce in his step and a joy in his soul?" And somehow, I allowed myself to lose that enthusiasm. At that moment, I decided to change. I began to observe my son and consciously mimic his resiliency in my adult situations.

Basically, I learned there would be times when life disappoints and hurts, but it doesn’t have to devastate you or determine your outlook.  My son re-taught his dad how to live again. What a breakthrough!

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You too can experience this revelation. For those of you who have lost the desire to dream or even enjoy life after past mistakes or unfortunate circumstances, ask yourself these questions:

  1. How do your children approach life and have you lost that approach?
  2. Are there life lessons my child is teaching me that I’m not getting?
  3. When is the last time you dreamed an impossible dream?
  4. Am I dwelling on the past when I should be living in the present?
  5. When is the last time you had fun playing a game?

Please feel free to share your comments below and at darrenthedad@gmail.com.

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