My Happy Thought

Okay, I get it-Nemo's found, laughter's more powerful than screams, a toy's meaning in life is found through being played with, bugs are gross, superheroes can get overweight, and sometimes we all (including race cars)need to be reminded to slow down and enjoy the ride. I get it!

My son's been obsessed with Elmo and all things Sesame Street and Muppet for months, and I thought it would never end, hoped it would because an hour of Elmo a day is the government's new favorite torture implement technique, replacing electricity and water and the Chinese water torture methods.A dream is a wish your heart makes, and be careful what you wish for. Lisa and I have to trade off shifts at the office for planning and paperwork and working from home to take care of the kids. So I've spent a bit more time taking care of my kids than I used to. I learned from Bible Studies with alcoholics and drug addictions that people often go from one addiction to the other, and its a bit similar with kids and their phases.

My son has put Elmo and puppets aside for now, and has focused his attention on Pixar movies, especially Cars. He watches Cars and one other Pixar movie each day. We have a really cool 5-disc player and it seems like the movie about the precision instrument of speed and aerodynamics owns a home in slot five. This morning after watching Nemo find his daddy, he went over to the movie drawer and pulled out Cars, clearly enunciating, "I want this." Well, today we're taking a break from his scheduled programming, and I decided to dig out something new to hopefully pique his interest, Hook.


I've been watching Hook for almost 20 years, I love the story of what if the boy who didn't grow up actually grew up. When I started watching it with my son this morning, I don't know how well it grabbed his attention, but it grabbed mine. It also reminded me of how much life has changed since I became a daddy.

Peter Pan can't think of a happy thought to let him fly, and eventually finds a stuffed animal from his childhood and finds his happy thought. I always thought as a kid that this thought that allowed him to fly was being a kid (since lets face it Robin Williams is a big kid, still, even if he is like 340 years old) and remembering his family. But, that wasn't true. The thought, the memory that gave him wings to fly was remembering being a daddy, having children

When I watched this today, with my son sitting in my lap and my daughter sitting next to me, it brought tears my eyes watching Peter remember how to fly, because his happy thought is his children, and the privilege of being a daddy (a privilege he had forgotten at the beginning of the movie). When Peter says to his son, "I found my happy thought, it took me three days to find it. Guess what happened when I did, up I went. You know what my happy thought was? It was you." My son clapped and smiled for Peter, and I couldn't help but join him. What a wonderful "daddy" feel good movie, remembering how important children are, how happy they make us, how they fill a daddy's heart teaching them what love really is.When I tucked my son in for his nap this afternoon, I gave him a hug and kiss, telling him he'll never know how much his daddy loves him until he becomes a daddy too. I told him, and my daughter, that they are my happy thoughts and although they're stuck with me, I am so happy to have them in my life and in my heart.

I realized when I told them this that now that I know what it means to love as a daddy, I know how much my dad loves me. Us men don't say it often enough, not too manly you know. But a father's love can't be understood, it has to be experienced. I thank God for reminding me of this, I thank Him for being my Heavenly Father, I thank Him for my dad whom I love very much, and I thank Him for making me a dad with two beautiful (but at times trying) children. With happy thoughts like this, I really can fly.

What a special reminder to have today, and all because I needed a break from watching Lightning McQueen blow the Piston Cup (for the 678th time).

BLT says....know your happy thought and take off to the sky.