A young boy sat in a science class, his eyes fixed on a beaker sitting on the teacher’s desk. The teacher’s words were muffled to the boy’s hearing as he thought of his dad and how great it would be when he was no longer busy at the firm and they could go fishing one weekend. But deep down, he feels this may never happen.

An executive sat in his leather chair gazing out the window of his business suite, his eyes fixed on the bridge and harbour below, oblivious to the phone ringing. His thoughts were not on his current business venture, but on his dad, retired and living alone. He wondered why their friendship had been based on how to make money and not the normal men’s stuff like, football, laughter and fishing. His dad said they’d do that one day, but it never happened.

An old man sits in a room by himself, staring at the wall directly in front of him. His mind wanders back many years to a time when his family was young and they all still lived together. He thought of his son and their relationship and wondered why it never ever became the friendship that he really wanted. But being too busy, he had always put it off to another day. That day had never come.

DADS — JUST DO IT. Time is going by. NOW is all you can be certain of. Your kids need you now. The greatest thing you can do for your kids is to love their mother and give them lots of your time.

You will look back later with no regrets.

___

Col McIntyre has been married to Kath for 35 years.
He is father to four children and grandfather to two.
Col loves to spend time with his grandchildren,
taking them swimming, feeding the ducks, talking and rough-housing.