I’m not a Dad, but when I came across this video online I knew it would be worth sharing. Every family-man longs to be a good husband and a good father. And they all try to do so, often slaving at a job they don’t particularly like. It’s often draining trying to balance work, household chores, family responsibilities and whatever else life throws their way.
Paradisus Dei, the creators of That Man is You! recently published “The Door – The Power of Presence”, a video that is a good reminder for any husband or father who feels like he’s lost his way. It doesn’t offer all the solutions we may be looking for, but it gives a starting point: get back to the basics. You don’t slog at your job or anything else you do for any reason other than your love for your wife and children. Yet, way too many men buckle under the pressures and struggles of our modern world, especially in relation to their roles as husbands and fathers.
The Door – The Power of Presence
“The Door – The Power of Presence” strives to remind men that while this struggle to find balance is real, they have to strive to find that balance, even if that means learning to say no to work more often than to their wives or kids.
Obviously, that’s easier said than done. Nevertheless, just as you may think you’ve had a full day — so have they. All your wife may be looking for is some time with her husband at the end of her day. All your kids may be looking for is some time with their Dad, especially if they’ve been eagerly awaiting your return all day.
The easy reaction to demands for your time and attention after a long day is to think resentfully, “Don’t they know what my day has been like today?” … The truth is, actually, they don’t … A better response could be to share about your day, as well as to be more empathetic: “I’ve had a long day today. What was your day like?”.
As I said, I’m not a Dad. But I am involved in pastoral ministry and a common hurt on the hearts of wives and children is the wound of feeling neglected or even rejected by their husbands/fathers.
Ironically, one of the most common burdens on the hearts of men is their struggle to be better husbands/fathers. There isn’t enough of any man to be the perfect husband/father and fulfill all his responsibilities. But regularly recalling why you got married and why you chose to have children can sometimes be the starting point to making a change and a realignment of your priorities.
There will always be missed opportunities to being a better husband or father, but a frequent reminder of what’s really important in life, through videos like “The Door – The Power of Presence”, will at the very least help you have fewer of these.
