I Am Lucky

When I was a child I experienced the love of my parent(s) and family, I took this love for granted as a youngster and never really thought about it at all. When I got a little older, I was lucky, and met a very special person, Melissa, and fell in love. I gained a new appreciation for what love is. I learned that love is powerful and life changing. I learned that I would do many things for love because I had appreciation for it and no longer took it for granted, I wanted to keep it.

A short time later, I was lucky again, we were blessed with a child and I found a new level of love. I honestly never knew my heart was capable of the depth of love I felt, and continue to feel, for my son Grady. Before he was born people warned me that loving a child is different than any emotion I had ever experienced. I paid little attentions to these statements and was completely caught off guard by the immediate and powerful love I had for him. I truly had never felt that way about anyone in my life. I am convinced that the love a parent has for his or her child is the strongest emotion we will ever know. Along with this new love for Grady the love and appreciation I have for my wife was also deepened by the birth of our son. Having Grady was the greatest accomplishment of our lives and the most meaningful experience we had ever shared together.

Now, I am lucky again. We have been blessed with another beautiful son, Harry David. While Melissa was pregnant with little Harry we experienced several common pregnancy emotions together; joy, anticipation, nervousness, etc but I felt a little guilt inside as well. I knew how much I loved Grady and questioned if I could love a second child as much. I was worried that I would have a favorite son. (I knew that a parent having a favorite son is possible from my experience with 3 older brothers. I am obviously the favorite son of my parents) I was truly worried. I had never experienced anything like my love for Grady before, could I possibly experience the same immediate, intense feelings twice in my life? The obvious answer to this is, of course, yes. The moment Harry was born I felt just like I did when Grady was born all over again.

Before Grady was born I was told I would be surprised how much my heart could love. Then, before Harry was born I was told not to worry because my heart would double in size if it had to in order to love that much again. I think my heart may have done that. I love my wife and both of my boys so much I could never describe it with words. I can't understand how some parents can choose drugs, alcohol or anything else over their own children or, equally as bad, do anything to physically harm their own children. I pray that nothing bad ever happens to any of my family and may God have mercy on anyone that hurts any of them because I surely will not. God has truly given us a great power to love one another and I hope everyone gets to experience it on the levels I have with my own family.