Fatherhood at 40: A Thank You Letter to My Children (Just Because) by Michael Kennedy

When people ask me what it’s like having children in your 40s, I usually give the standard answers: 

• “Well, my wife and I got it all out of our systems, we traveled, saw, did.”

• “Oh, you know, now I have to keep in shape to keep up.” 

Homework jokes, diaper stories, mini-van puns, age comparisons, laughter, sarcasm, etc., etc. But what I really want to say is that I want to thank them. I want to thank them for re-invigorating my life, for giving each and every day a bright new outlook, another chance, another day of optimism, laughter, dreams and goals. 

I find my self looking at clouds again to find animals, watching ant trails on my knees in the driveway, being thrilled if a paper airplane they made makes it across the room. In short, I have been, and continue to be, re-inspired every day I am with them.

We color just to color. I am reading more than ever. We are inventing, creating and thinking and discussing life together on a daily basis. I have also come to examine and strengthen my core values as I deal with real-time situations both at home and around the globe, and try to show them the light, the good and the positive.

Not every day is a rose garden and we have our typical ups and downs as any family does. But I want to thank them for being my ever imaginative light and reminding me that the world is still full of unlimited possibility.

I love you and thank you for being in my life.

Dad

“Every person passing through this life will unknowingly leave something and take something away. Most of this 'something' cannot be seen or heard or numbered or scientifically detected or counted. It’s what we leave in the minds of other people and what they leave in ours. Memory. The census doesn’t count it. Nothing counts without it.” – Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

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