I was taking my oldest son to a basketball practice the other day. We're in the car, he's got his ipod out and headphones on. I've got the radio pumpin...the usual transportation mode. Every now and then, one of us brings up something funny or interesting. All of sudden, my son takes off his headphones, and asked me a question that shook me."Dad, how old were you when you decided who you wanted to be???"
"You can be anything you want to be. You just have to work hard, and believe in yourself.", I told him.
My pre-teen son then said, "Nah dad. I got time to figure out what I want to be or do. But I think I need to decide WHO I want to be now."
WOW!!!! Part of me was proud has shyt because of the way my first-born is beginning to process things, think about life. Just a mature lil muffukka. But another part of me was taken aback and completely blown, simply because I'm a grown ass man.....three times my kid's age......a father of three.....failed marriage.....failed ministry.......living in a hostile environment (and prolly too scared to change that). And at the end of the day, I'm now trying to figure out who the fukk I wanna be. DAYUM!!
The reality is that I don't like who I've become as a result of my marriage. Why did I allow myself to go through the shit that was thrown at me? Why didn't I get out sooner? Why didn't I stand up and say, "It's not gonna be like this anymore"
Who have I become???
Why did I believe her when she would say things to emasculate me? Why would my peace depend solely on her happiness? Why would I respond ONLY in ways that I knew would appease her?
What the fukk was I thinking? Who have I become??
Why didn't I ever put myself first? Why did my universe center around her? Why did I allow sooooo many friendships to come to an end because SHE didn't approve?
Who have I become?
I didn't have an exact answer for my son. But I told him this......
"I wanna be your dad, and the best one I can. I wanna be someone who loves himself, so that I can love you and everyone else around me. I wanna be that dude that can be honest and real with his feelings, and not be afraid to put them out in the atmosphere. I wanna be the man who takes everything he's been through, grow from it, and use those things to help you be who YOU wanna be."
My 12-year old, looked at me (all proud and shyt), put his earphones back in, and said..."Aiight bet. But you didn't have to preach to me dad.", laughing.
"Get out of my car and get to practice!", I told him, after smackin the back of his head. Ole fukka!!
"Love ya, dad"







