Just over one year ago, our entire household was enshrouded in sickness. Both my wife and son were sick with strep throat AND the flu—at the same time. Somehow I avoided catching either, which left me as the only healthy one under our roof and the resident doctor.
The following week was nothing short of a gauntlet. Every few hours I was dosing up my family with various drugs, taking preventative meds myself, and ensuring everyone was fed. Our son got sick for the first time, throwing up all over his room, the bed, his clothing, and me. My wife was on death's doorstep, a fever in the triple digits with a throat too sore to handle any food. In short: we were in rough shape.
Fortunately, my wonderful employer gave me the entire week off to take care of everyone. And you know what? I found myself full of life, feeling as if I was finally doing what I was always meant to do.
Sure, my family was on more drugs than a race horse, I was sleeping in short bursts, and I was sleeping on a floor. But, I was also finding myself more fulfilled than I'd ever felt. I got to do what most dads dream of: take care of their family.
While I wish my family never got sick, I'm grateful for the opportunity to care for my family, ground myself in love and duty, and rediscover how rewarding parenting truly is. (I also used my family's downtime to discover the joy of the show "Letterkenny," one of Canada's greatest gifts to the world.)
It’s so easy to get lost in the daily grind. To give work your all from 9-5, then shift gears to parenting, sleep, and repeat. But sometimes life will sweep your leg, leaving you scrambling to get back up. It’s in those moments we’re given the chance to realize just how much we love our family, and how willing we are to do anything for them (like scrub puke at 2am before returning to sleep on the floor).
You might think I have the flu right now, with all this rambling. But, I swear there’s a point, and it’s this: even the most seemingly terrible moments can help us learn so much about ourselves, as people, parents, and partners. And just like that, those seemingly terrible moments aren’t so terrible anymore.
Stay safe, Daddhists.
-John