Sacred Fatherhood
Making a Commitment to the Children
As we approach Fathers Day, I want to begin by acknowledging the
fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, compadres, mentors and others
who have chosen to carry the role of loving, guiding, protecting and
supporting children of the world. We also recognize that being an
honorable father requires more than contributing to the birth and/or the
raising of a child, but also the support and respect of the child's
mother and in the traditional way, the honoring of all our relations.
The
first step of being a responsible father is showing up, being present
and recognizing that the most powerful lessons the child will receive
from us, as men, is our example of how we carry ourselves. Yes, how we
treat their mother, grandmother, other men and women, other children and
how we walk and handle the challenges in our lives.
For
this reason, 25 years ago, a circulo of men began a journey and
commitment of first, healing ourselves and then making a commitment to
heal, nurture, guide and protect the next generations as a way of
shedding the baggage and growing the blessings.
With
that in mind we'd like to challenge fathers, grandfathers, uncles,
mentors to sign on the National Compadres Network's FATHERHOOD PLEDGE
making a public commitment to be the best man that you can be in
support of the children and all our relations. This also recognizes that
we are all learning, healing and growing and need our own support to
continue on this path so if we can be of any support to you please
contact us.
I
personally on this father's day have the blessing of my three children
and others that see me as their father or their uncle and a 2 year - 4
month old granddaughter that is bringing me a whole new series of joys
and challenges. But she knows when I ask her "How much does Tata love
you?" she answers as she opens her arms wide open " Tata loves me this
much" with a big smile on her face that she is loved. At the same time,
at the end of her visiting for the day, I am exhausted and it's
in these moments that I really appreciate my daughter and all the
mothers and grandmothers of the world who carry a heavy load but in
spite of everything give us men a space to learn and grow and be or
become the fathers and grandfathers that the children need us to be.
Blessings to all and Happy Fathers Day,
Jerry Tello,
Director, National Compadres Network/National Latino Fatherhood & Family Institute
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