(Mitzi Aylor/Aylor Photography)
Stories.
When you work with dads in fatherhood programs, you try to imbue them with the motivation to become as involved in the lives of their children as possible.
One of the ways in which you can motivate dads is through stories of other dads' struggles and triumphs as they break through the barriers--of their own and others' making--that keep them from being the best dads possible. That's why when we at National Fatherhood Initiative® run across a video, documentary, or father-themed movie that inspires, we share it in this blog so that you, in turn, can use it to inspire the dads you serve.
I've run across a lot of excellent stories told through video and film and have shared them in this blog. But sometimes I learn about the people whose lives inspire through their own and others' writing.
Enter the story of Eva Grace, as written by her dad Royce Young. Royce chronicles a gut-wrenching decision that he and his wife Keri made about Eva. (Before you read it, grab a box of tissues. You're going to need them.)
This story is as inspiring as it is gut-wrenching. It's a story about:
- How the love that a dad and mom have for their child can lead them to make a courageous decision that brings them more pain, and pain over a longer period of time.
- The commitment and love that Royce and Keri have for one another.
- The ability of Royce and Keri to see beyond their own pain and make a decision that benefitted others.
As you read and re-read the story, write down the lessons you took from it. Then share the story and those lessons on NFI's Father Engagement Learning Community™! This online community works to connect organizations and individuals that run fatherhood programs or initiatives -- or that serve dads in any way -- so they can easily learn from one another.
What inspiring, written fatherhood stories have you shared with the dads you serve?
If you haven't shared inspiring, written stories, why haven't you?
