Fathering Trust

Fathering Trust by Odin Roark The gift of trust How rare How precious How precarious From the cradle To the nursing home We strive to believe Hoping risks valid Disappointments mere lessons Measured doubt a badge of courage Even as we learn Little can be embraced as truth For most Somewhere along the way The trusting child Becomes a questioning adult Tiered with experience Learned patience Tenacity to succeed Yet painfully reticent With such responsibility Some move into parenting Sometimes short the necessary dues paid With fathers Certain hardwired elements of conscience Drive duty into a labyrinth of guilt As all they wish to fulfill Falls short No fault of their own At such times All that might be left Is the trust of a child Of a mate Yes Even the family dog Patiently waiting for scraps For fathers who persevere For families who recognize Earned returns require patience Credence is often the only security they have For solvency is not about one's bank account It is about earned trust Learned from the cradle Challenged indefinitely Misunderstood at times Too often dashed upon the rocks of old age Never having been appreciated Like mothers Fathers usually try their best For when all is truly said and done Such effort for our behalf asks only of trust The single most precious gem Anyone can take to the other side To my trusted teacher of so much Happy Father's Day Pop You are missed