By Njoki Karuoya
Fatherhood is meant to be a special event. It proves you are virile and it provides you the opportunity to shape the life of a human being – into what you want. Children are like the modelling clay they play with in school. You can turn that clay into whatever shape you want, from a beautiful creature into a monster.
However, the most amazing thing about clay is that you can destroy whatever you created and start all over again, with the same ball of clay. Thus, if you have been absent father and you’ve ended up creating a monster, you can start all over again and begin to reshape that monster into a beautiful being.
The reverse similarly applies. There are fathers who started off as keen and active participators in the lives of their children but, for one reason or another, eventually slacked off, leaving the children, often in their teens, to their own devises, which can lead to disaster.
Sexual harassment
Whether we like it or not, fathers play a significant role in a child’s life. They shape and mould a child’s character and largely influence how they view life in future, their aspirations, goals and relationships with the opposite sex and with children.
A father’s impact begins from birth and it is crucially important that men realise this; that whether they are in the child’s mother’s life or not, their direct relationship with a child is more important.
On Sunday, the world celebrated fathers, mainly the active ones with a positive influence on their children and, thus, the society at large. For those whose influence has been negative or negligent, it’s not too late to decide to change that. When the wise men said, mtoto umleavyo ndivyo akuavyo (a child picks the traits they were taught when growing up), they knew what they were saying. Commit to change the face of the future by shaping the present now.
To continue in the spirit of honouring fathers, here are a few poems to buoy to celebrate fatherhood:
What makes a Dad
God took the strength of a mountain
The majesty of a tree
The warmth of a summer sun
The calm of a quiet sea
The generous soul of nature
The comforting arm of night
The wisdom of the ages
The power of the eagle’s flight
The joy of a morning in spring
The faith of a mustard seed
The patience of eternity
The depth of a family need
Then God combined these qualities
When there was nothing more to add
He knew His masterpiece was complete
And so He called it...
Dad
— Anonymous
A Father Means....
A Father means so many things...
A understanding heart
A source of strength and of support
Right from the very start
A constant readiness to help
In a kind and thoughtful way
With encouragement and forgiveness
No matter what comes your way
A special generosity and always affection too
A Father means so many things
When he’s a man like you...
— Anonymous
