Keep The Sound Advice Coming!

[Gardener]

wom,
You sound like a real exceptional dad!
Good for you. And for your kids! Especially your kids!

I told Awoken a divorced-part-time-loving-father story the other night since he was worried about the consequences and loss of being a part-time Dad to his 13 year old son.

I passed the same story onto givingitmyall tonight because I thought he needed to hear it.

Last go 'round, I'll pass it on to you so you can take comfort in your probable future as a P/T Dad.

It's my own story, but I'm not tooting my own horn. I was just grateful and surprised as heck is all:

At the same age, S13, left my apartment years ago (I had gotten one within walking distance of our house) Got 20 or 30 feet, turned around crying and running back to me. We sat on my big Adirondack chair, I held him tight on my lap. We talked a lot. At the end, I looked him in the eyes, smiled and assured him, "You will be alright! I will be alright! You and I will be alright. Always."
This summer, at age 31 - eighteen years later - he told me about that moment in that chair and how everything did get better after that and that he never forgot that moment. Gardener, of course, cried.

Awoken, be strong and do your utmost best - at all times - with S13 like you're doing now. Not just for the hurting boy but for the man you're forming and building.

You, too, wom.