Sam's New Dad (aka Tiger Woods)
Joe Kelly - June 26, 2007
“My parents always told me they loved me every night, every time we said goodbye. That was just something that I was never afraid to go out there and push myself to the limit. And if I failed, so what?
I always had them to pick me up. I think that’s something that not all people have, but I was lucky to have that my entire life.”
Those are the words of Tiger Woods, reflecting becoming a father last week.
They are powerful words, especially as I ponder those who assert that men are wimps, weak, and womanly if they convey love and affection to their children. Moreover, many folks argue that “too much” fatherly love is corrosive of a child’s ultimate well-being.
Such assertions seem beyond absurd to me, yet they continue to hold traction in our collective cultural conceptions of family and masculinity.
So I take great comfort from Mr. Woods’ words and perspective. One would be hard pressed to describe (much less think of) Mr. Woods as a wimp, weak, or somehow “unmanly.” Yet he clearly understands that there is no such thing as “too much” love for a child—especially when love is properly understood as embracing the fullness of affection, limits, encouragement, expectations, faith, discipline, ambiguity, and all of love’s other, seemingly paradoxical traits.
And it is also wonderful to hear him put parenthood in perspective, relative to the world of his work:
''This is far more important than any game of golf. This is an opportunity for us to raise our first child, and we're really looking forward to it.''
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Posted by Joe Kelly at June 26, 2007 03:17 PM
Comments
1. Posted by
sWORDSman
![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.intentblog.com/nav-commenters.gif)
on
June 26, 2007 08:43 PM
What is success? They are asking.
If only they could put a "not" in front all of them
Generation of performance-technicians
Heartly-torned and assembled in a goal
How much dad are presently practicing their external-moves?
A slow motion of the lost love-trophy
How much time before to get out of these illusions?
Look at yourself carefully in the glass. Father, look at yourself. You are not made of Wood. This trophy has never been a duty to win.
----
Close friend of mine as a child fell into a slumber
No sign of life since '75
Then one day he just, what do you know
I guess God just called his number
He called me up he called me up and said
"I've been awake about a week
I'm thinking about asking the doctor
If he could put me back to sleep"
Then he laughed and said
"Hey all the girls they look the same"
Don't they know just what their mothers
Paid in blood, and tears to change
But the words that made me cry
The thing he softly said
It stayed with me, it keeps messing with my head
He said, "If Jesus Christ is alive and well
Then how come John & Elvis are dead?"
Youth, beautiful youth
We walked through the walls until we found the truth
And said "Change it, it's ugly just change it"
Everyone we used to know
Must have given up, so long ago
You can see it, it's written on their faces
And the inside of their clothes
But the words that made me cry
'Cos I knew just what they meant
He turned to me and said
"Hey boy, if Jesus Christ is alive and well
Then how come John & Elvis are dead?"
"Tell me if Jesus Christ is alive and well
Then how come Marvin & Elvis are dead?"
I said "If Jesus Christ is going to save us from ourselves
How come peace, love and Elvis are dead?"...
2. Posted by
Jean-François Désaulniers
on
June 26, 2007 11:46 PM
I appreciate Tiger Woods most for making the choice of spending time with his daughter and wife instead of participating in the Buick Open. He knows how to love, and is a wonderful model for men to follow. God bless Tiger, his wife, and his daughter! His parents can be truly happy that they have raised such a wonderful son.
3. Posted by
arizonasunset
on
June 28, 2007 11:34 AM
I appreciate Tiger Woods most for making the choice of spending time with his daughter and wife instead of participating in the Buick Open. He knows how to love, and is a wonderful model for men to follow. God bless Tiger, his wife, and his daughter! His parents can be truly happy that they have raised such a wonderful son.
4. Posted by
arizonasunset
on
June 28, 2007 11:34 AM
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Recent Comments
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arizonasunset commented on Sam's New Dad (aka Tiger Woods)
I appreciate Tiger Woods most for making the ch
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arizonasunset commented on Sam's New Dad (aka Tiger Woods)
I appreciate Tiger Woods most for making the ch
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Jean-François Désaulniers commented on Sam's New Dad (aka Tiger Woods)
What is success? They are asking.
-
sWORDSman commented on Sam's New Dad (aka Tiger Woods)
"...there is no such thing as “too much” lo
"...there is no such thing as “too much” love for a child—especially when love is properly understood as embracing the fullness of affection, limits, encouragement, expectations, faith, discipline, ambiguity, and all of love’s other, seemingly paradoxical traits."
Well said, Joe. Real love, not the syrupy, commercialized, ego-filled thing that passes for it these days, is a gift we can give freely and without fear of exhausting, for it can be regenerated at will and doesn't satiate.
One could indeed see parenting as a privilege. To have a uniquely close perspective on another human being's journey, right from its start, and to watch how my two boys learn everything they learn, and how they express themselves, and how they view the world - when I can leave my ego out of it, it's an incredible learning experience for me.