I watched a documentary last night on Henry Ford, who of course built the automotive empire that started with the Model T in the early 1900s. Ford was a man of the people, a rugged, self-made man who was uneducated but street smart and very much in touch with the values of working-class people. But unfortunately, Henry Ford was was also a man who left a sour taste in the mouth of his only son, Edsell.
According to the documentary, Ford was extremely critical and unaccepting of his son. Edsell could do no right, in the eyes of his father, and Edsell ultimately died of stomach cancer in his early 40s. Many say he died because of the stress inflicted upon him by his father.
Henry Ford died a few years later with major regrets, regrets he ultimately could not undo.
I do not want to die with those type of regrets. I want my children to remember me as somebody who was genuinely interested in their lives, and as somebody who genuinely loved and affirmed them. I will no doubt regret the mistakes that I have made (and will make) with my children, but I want my children to remember these two things about me.
As a pastor, I have officiated at the funeral service of a dad who was not liked a whole lot by his adult children. When I asked for "highlights" of their dad's life, so that I could accurately talk about their father in the funeral service, the highlights were hard to come by.
What a sad situation.
Dads, we only get one chance at this thing called fatherhood. We aren't going to get it perfect, but let's give it our best so our kids have something wonderful to remember and pass along to their children. Let's make the most of the time we have with them.
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