“Teach your children right from wrong by your example. " ~ Proverbs 22:6
The above song presents a series of
dialogues between a father and his son. As the verses progress, we see them age
without really connecting.
When the son is young, the father can't find time for him, too
busy with “planes to catch and bills to pay.” Despite the emotional distance,
the boy admires him, saying "I'm gonna be like you, Dad."
Near the end of the song, the now-retired
father aches to spend time with his boy. Married now with a family of his own,
the boy has indeed followed his father's example and is too busy “if [only] I
could find the time” for his aging parent.
Picture a man sitting at his kitchen table, staring into the
backyard at a rusted swing set and an overgrown sandbox. Regret grieves him as
he reflects on how it all went by so fast and how his son “had grown up just
like me.”
As the haunting chorus depicts "the cats in the
cradle" (the family at home) "and the silver spoon" (wealth the
father seeks to earn). The "little boy blue" (sad, neglected child)
waits patiently while “the man on the moon" (father) remains emotionally
unreachable.
It's about the father’s deep regret for ignoring his maturing son while always choosing to do things more important. It’s a vivid realization that his adoring son did indeed grow up to be his mirror image.
The song's lyrics began as a poem written by Harry Chapin’s
wife, Sandra. Put to music in 1974 after the birth of their son Josh, it
offered a blunt warning of a joyless future should he continue the torrid pace
of his life. Ironically that summer, the musician was tragically killed in a
car accident.
The “Cat’s in the Cradle” message provides a warning about
not investing enough time in one’s family. So many powerful and seemingly
desirable personal goals and idols lure men away from the home.
The song shatters the myth of
spending “quality time” with your children or the myth that “you can have it
all.” Parents who spend too much time seeking their own needs can only caution their
kids: “Do as I say, not as I do.”
Father’s Day is a day to honor
and celebrate dads. The day also compels fathers to introspectively examine the
serious calling of being a Dad.
The family must always be a
father’s priority, putting his family's often mundane, needs before his own. A father’s
love must be constant and enduring, no matter the circumstances. Leading by
example through an example of fidelity, compassion, attentiveness, and reflection
defines true leadership.
Dads – it’s never too late to
hear the call to arms on behalf of your children. Happy Dad’s Day!
Almighty Father, help me be a better parent.
Teach me to understand my children, to listen patiently to what they have to
say, and to answer all their questions kindly.
Help me love them unselfishly and You have loved me. Amen
