Sunday, June 21st, 2009

Fathers

Seattle, Washington

I grew attached to the Seattle community and especially the children. Children always give us hope, and that's why it's good to have them around. Anyone who thinks that children are a nuisance are a nuisance themselves. They vibrate tremendous optimism.

When you are a man in a spiritual community, you automatically become a father. On this Father's Day, I had the golden opportunity to reflect on this type of fatherhood; because, being a life long celibate, I cannot claim to be a biological one. I still feel like one though.

After leaving the Seattle community almost tearfully, as the kids jumped up and down with their "good-byes", I could now ready myself for more of this parental spirit upon approaching the Vancouver community, with its' share of youngsters. When you travel, you are never devoid of people, and especially the little ones.

I had to ponder on my own personal fatherhood, which is in a unique category. I would compare the spiritual dad to something like carrying on the responsibility of a lighthouse. Tradition has it that the mother gives the milk, and the father brings the bread. Dads do more than that. Fatherhood is like the lighthouse of the other day. You give light and direction when things are cloudy and dark. The ideal dad is like that. He's a coach. He points the way. He is a guru.

Popular media loves to highlight the bad man,...the mean father. But there are lots of good fathers in the world. Few people report them. Happy Father's Day!

3KM