When a man becomes a father, no one hands him a job description even though his job is one of the most important ones in the world. Most fathers discover the job description slowly, sometimes painfully, over the course of years. It reveals itself as a gift. It grows and unfolds like the seasons: The youthful energy of the young father chasing toddlers gives way to the more serene mentorship of the middle-aged father, which then passes into the smile of the worn old man who sees all his efforts come full circle in the flourishing of his children’s children.
For anyone who begins to contemplate what a dad’s job description might look like, the first thing he or she will realize is how long that job description would have to be. Probably, the number of roles a father must play is virtually endless. But here, at least, are a few of a father’s roles, offered as a reflection on and celebration of fatherhood, with all its multifaceted mystery.
