The baby countdown is officially on. I am an expecting father of a baby girl. My life is filled with excitement, nervousness and pure joy, all at the same time. The feelings are real, and the importance in being a parent has hit me in the face. I want to be the best father that I can be. I am constantly reading articles and books for preparation. I am also actually listening to the unsolicited advice from veteran fathers at my job.
This is strange for me, because I am the type of man that separates work from my personal life. There is no person at my job that has any clue about who I really am and how I conduct my life. I don’t reveal the “complexities of me” to my co-workers. Our conversations are superficial, even when they may not seem like it to an onlooker.
However, I have forced myself to slightly change this philosophy. In reality, I have no idea about the complexities of my co-workers as parents. “Parent” is not just a title, like the respective ones that we have when we punch in. Parenting may be the most important responsibility that there is in life. The importance is the same no matter race, religion, or orientation.
I am finding that it is actually ok to peel back a layer of complexity. It’s not just about me. It’s ok to overlap this part of my life with my work life. Parenting doesn’t have a time off button. It is continuous. I will need guidance and support. Big and small. A simple baby congratulation card is a great reminder that parenting is a special thing.
