Day 794 - Turning 3 - https://golifelog.com/posts/turning-3-1677973742444
Today my first-born turns 3. That means I'm turning 3 too, as a dad.
Some reflections:
- I lived through what "The days are long but the years are short" truly means. It's nothing like anything else I experienced.
- There's no burden greater when caring for another smaller human being whom you love to bits. But there's also no burden better.
- I never thought I could enjoy the world through the eyes of a toddler. I've always assumed as humans, we're islands of consciousness even while together. But we're only islands above the water surface. Underneath we're all linked.
- Caring for your child and learning to be a dad is an infinite game. There's always new rules that come up, new side quests to solve, new levels to clear. Letting expectations go that we can ever be *done* done, helps.
- Year 1 was a hazy, tumbling, bumbling, struggle. Year 2 was about finding our footing as a family, surviving. Is Year 3 the year where we all start thriving?
[@joelfirenze](https://joelfirenze.medium.com/having-a-kid-in-the-anthropocene-37f3ac747157) recently wrote about being a new dad:
“What might be a good reason to have a child in these turbulent times? ...The best argument I can find so far is that having a child in the world is an expression of optimism and hope in the future.”
I love that answer. 🙌
It's not pinning hope on the child to bring some material benefit in the future. To even decide to have a child in itself is an expression of hope, that the future *will* be better.
I hope so. I pray so.
Some reflections:
- I lived through what "The days are long but the years are short" truly means. It's nothing like anything else I experienced.
- There's no burden greater when caring for another smaller human being whom you love to bits. But there's also no burden better.
- I never thought I could enjoy the world through the eyes of a toddler. I've always assumed as humans, we're islands of consciousness even while together. But we're only islands above the water surface. Underneath we're all linked.
- Caring for your child and learning to be a dad is an infinite game. There's always new rules that come up, new side quests to solve, new levels to clear. Letting expectations go that we can ever be *done* done, helps.
- Year 1 was a hazy, tumbling, bumbling, struggle. Year 2 was about finding our footing as a family, surviving. Is Year 3 the year where we all start thriving?
[@joelfirenze](https://joelfirenze.medium.com/having-a-kid-in-the-anthropocene-37f3ac747157) recently wrote about being a new dad:
“What might be a good reason to have a child in these turbulent times? ...The best argument I can find so far is that having a child in the world is an expression of optimism and hope in the future.”
I love that answer. 🙌
It's not pinning hope on the child to bring some material benefit in the future. To even decide to have a child in itself is an expression of hope, that the future *will* be better.
I hope so. I pray so.