Day 20: I’m Grateful for Charlotte

Aside from getting married, having a child was one of the biggest moments of my life. The first lesson I really learned in becoming a father is that I did not just bring into the world “a child,” I brought in a very specific person, an individual, who just like me, has her own ideas, understanding, needs, and desires. Being a dad to Charlotte has been among the most unique and rewarding experiences of my life because she is unique and interesting and so full of life. By becoming not just “a dad” but “her dad,” I feel I’ve become a better person. One who is interested in stuff I never would have been (princess movies, musical theater, Wimpy Kid books), but also a person who is seeing this world and experiencing life in a fresh new way. I’ve heard that kids do that for you, make you relive life and see it differently. But this is not just any kid, this is my Charlotte.