Thought of the Day 07.18.08

The other day we had some people over for dinner and games. When they were leaving, I went to walk them out and wave goodbye, as is my habit, and Ethan wanted to come along. We were both barefoot, and, seeing this, my wife asked me to carry him because our front walk is garnished with the local foliage of festivity, and cacti drop needles.

So I put him on my hip and walked out to see our guests off. My own bare feet didn’t worry me, mostly because my wife and I have different sensibilities about risk. But I was willing to indulge her concerns about Ethan, partially because he’s small and less able to handle pain and partially because, well, that’s what it means to honor your spouse.

At the same time, if someone was going to get a cactus needle in the foot, I wanted it to be I, not my son, who did so. Not because I enjoy pain, but because part of what it means to be a father is suffering things yourself so that your children can be saved from them.