A Hero in the Making

When my husband and I were first married, we had more time than we had money, so our gift giving often consisted of poetry, songs, or short stories we had written for one another. Here’s the poem I wrote for Doug 25 years ago this month, in honor of his first Father’s Day.

A Hero in the Making

There are little eyes upon you,

And they’re watching night and day;

There are little ears absorbing

Each and every word you say;

There are little hands, so eager

To do everything you do,

And a little boy who’s dreaming

Of the day he’ll be like you.

You’re the little fellow’s idle,

You’re the wisest of the wise;

And he knows that he can trust you,

Like he knows the sun will rise;

He believes in you completely,

Holds that all you say and do

He will say and do in just your way

When he’s all grown up, too.

There’s a wide-eyed little fellow

Who believes you’re always right,

And his ears are ever list’ning

As he watches day and night.

You are setting an example –

Every day in all you do –

For the little boy who’s waiting

To grow up to be like you.

– Jennifer Flanders

(June 1988)