Keeping the passion

[Coach]

Hey Keith - good insight there. While we're constantly running and so involved in all the activities centered around our kids, my wife and I go for a 4 mile walk every day and the topic of conversation lately has been how little time we have left with them. My kids are now 17, 15 and 12 but in the next couple years, we'll have 2 kids out of school - one more to watch follow his brothers' footsteps, and then we'll be back to where we started with just the two of us.

 

Having spent so much time and energy on parenting, it's going to be weird to not have that wonderful chaos.

[Flatlander]

I got a few you old saps can borrow

[Non-Typical Solutions]

I turned 54 this year and have thought often about what used to be and what is now.

When I got married that changed a lot of priorities for me even though she loved hunting and going out in the hills and we hunted a lot together.

Then the kids came along and grandma babysat them in camp while we still hunted.

Then I wanted the kids to enjoy what I was enjoying so I got them started in the things I liked, sports, hunting, fishing and hiking.

I have posted this picture before but this has taken the place of that trophy buck or bull for me. Don't get me wrong I still dream about big bucks and bulls but......this is what it is really all about.

 

Now that picture right there is a wall hanger in my book, my oldest boy and his son hunting with me on last years white tail hunt.

If you are doing things with your family......you haven't lost the passion you have spent your time with those that really mean the most to you and your passion shows.

[Edge]

Most men experience what you are going thru so don't be alarmed or depressed. You still have "children, minors" so relish that.

 

The real horrors came for me when my two oldest, a son and daughter, joined the USMC and found themselves fighting in the middle east. You'll never know such pride and terror rolled into one miserable sandwich. You live from phone call to phone call hoping they are taking care of themselves and their buddies while in harms way and there aint a thing you can do about it.

 

My son was part of man tracking team, mostly hunting down IED setters. Did I teach him enough about camouflage, silhouetting, blending in and shooting straight, was it enough?

 

Fathers, teach them well, you don't know how someday it may help them get back home.

[IA Born]

I can't really add more than what others have said. I will turn 41 in October and this year my daughter has 3 tags. My whole year is about her. Over the last couple of years, I've watched my motivation turn from getting out hunting no matter what to spending time with my kids no matter what. Fortunately, both of my kids (daughter: 10, son: 7 in Dec) love to shoot their bows with me. My daughter goes to the shooting range with me and my son will when he's 7. They both love to sit at the reloading bench with me. But when I find myself longing for that "me time" to do things for myself, I ultimately can't imagine doing it without them. Two years ago, I was on my way to go archery deer hunt one evening and ended up skipping it because I was engrossed in a backyard game of badminton with my wife and kids. Hearing my kids laugh and watching them play was worth every minute of that unfilled tag. Absolutely no regrets. Someone else said it best: Its parenting and its unselfishness at its best. As they get older, I find a little time to fish for myself, but most of it is still about them. Its how we get them interested and pass on our passions. Someone else said it, too: they are our PASSION!

 

You are doing it right, Coach. It is an honor to share that "dwindling self-passion" with you in favor of developing our passion for our kids and developing their passion for what was ours!