Parenthood is Forever!

I hope that you had a wonderful weekend and that you’re ready for a productive week. Today’s post is an encouragement for all parents but for single parents, in particular. As you may know from my earlier postings, I was once a married dad. Then I became a divorced and single dad. Today, I’m a happily married dad. So I can relate to parenthood from multiple angles.

When I went through my divorce in the early 2000s, one thing became quite evident to me – the marriage was over, but my role as a father is perpetual. My blood literally runs through my child’s veins so there’s no individual or institution on earth that can change that fact.

In reflecting on the reality of being a divorced parent, I wrote the poem below, Parenthood is Forever.  It was written from my perspective at the time. But today, as a happily married father of two children, it still applies – parenthood is forever. Fatherhood and motherhood cannot change. Even when parents and children become estranged, nothing can undo this reality.

As you read this poem, as long as you’re a parent, it applies to you. If you’re divorced or otherwise separated from the other parent of your child(ren), it’s even more relevant. If you're married or you're in a relationship, I hope that it grows continually into a lifetime love affair. But in the event that it does not, just know that as a father or as a mother, yours is the role of a lifetime. I trust that this fact is an encouragement to you.

Enjoy reading the poem and do feel free to share your thoughts here on the blog or on our Facebook Page. Remember, parenthood is forever!

The Upbeat Dad

Parenthood is Forever

When people get together,

With loving in their hearts,

They vow to love each other,

"Till death do us part;"

Sometimes for different reasons,

They don't fulfill their vows,

Their minds change like the seasons,

There's no love left to show;

But parenthood is forever,

A spouse may come and go,

This bond is broken never,

It's one law nature knows;

So precious are the children,

The lights that light our homes,

To know them is to love them,

The love that angels know;

When marriages are over,

There's no more home sweet home,

Parents go on forever,

Kids need not feel alone;

Parenthood lasts a lifetime,

This truth you cannot doubt,

It's an unbreakable love-line,

Once in you're never out;

So a parent is forever,

This tie you can't exchange,

A bond you cannot sever,

One law no man can change.

© 2003 Rodrick Walters