The Family Man...

I have had the glorious opportunity to raise three girls having the ages of seven years, eighteen months and five months. I have literally been Mr. Mom and loving every minute of it.

My three nieces are the most precious beings that I've been fortunate to spend time with over these past three and half weeks. In one night alone I had all three of them crying and frustrated with everything and anything. To be in that moment and not have any frustrations, anger or tension and replace it with love, acceptance and understanding was a triumphant moment. My mom called while I was rocking the youngest one to sleep and thanked her for all the frustration and worry I put her through, all the diapers she changed, all the crying she had to endure. She told me that she was long over that and she had other worries now... Oh, mom... ;) I was raised with a very lenient set of parents that allowed me to grow quite freely. I'm not saying there weren't moments of a strict law, fear mongering and some old ways that were handed down. We all have our disturbed childhoods because we are the ones that get to define them. And as my brother once told me, our adult lives are spent trying to cope and deal with those memories we created.

I've got them sorted now and am looking forward to bringing miniature little Khayyam's into the world bouncing about with their springy hair and lofty ways. The running joke of me having multiple wives and girlfriends in various countries have given explanations to my relatives as to why I am 'expert' with the kids. They can think what they want, but I have to equate my expertise with the fact that I found that innocence that children possess and it lives with great passion within me.

My initial definition of success has been altered severely and now understand what it means. Had it not been for all the mistakes to learn from, the family to influence and the events to have occurred, I'd still think that working my fingers to the bone to amass copious amounts of dollars so that I could have my 2.3 kids, white picket fence while dawning a box top fade, glasses and a pocket protector was the way. The best thing about the way is that there is no way, no wrong or right, no good or bad, it's all of it and it's up to us to lead the way.

Lead by the way you live...