I have always been led to believe that there are fathers and then there are dads. The premise being that like the old adage goes, ?anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad?. In a sense, I believe this. I am a father of four, and they range in age from 16 to 25. To this day I still remember each and every one of their moments of birth. I don't believe, however, that anything quite compares to the first time.



I was a soldier in the U.S. Army at the time and stationed at Incirlik, AFB, in Turkey. My wife was in the military hospital there. Her labor was long, and tiresome. I spent hours walking her up and down the hallway in an effort to induce the labor. When the time finally arrived for her to get ready to give birth, I was pretty near out of my head. With each contraction, my wife would grab my shirt and remind me how much she loved me for this special time. At around midnight, they told me to dress up in the medical garb and get ready for the delivery.

The next fifteen minutes were the most amazing of my young life. Within moments of being transferred to the delivery room, my daughter was born. It was my 22nd birthday. I could not have asked for a better present. Over a quarter of a century has passed since that day, and my daughter has made me a grandfather twice over. I still see her, as I gazed through the maternity infant ward window, lying comfortably in her first moments of life. It is a moment I shall never forget. And as much as I hope I have been a good father, it is my sincere desire, that I have been a great dad.

I have had three more children since that day over a quarter of a century ago. I was there in the delivery room for each one. Each was special in its own kind of way. The last three were boys. There is something very memorable and satisfying to watch your children come into the world, which is the easy part. The hard part is making sure that you are up to the challenge. You must ensure that you will lay the foundation for their future. You must pass on a lifetime of knowledge to them and help them to apply it; you will be able to give them advice that makes them well, but not always happy. In addition, you will provide for them, regardless of the sacrifice that you must make. It's all part of being a father and a dad.

The hardest thing for me has been to remain their father and not their friend. If you are not careful, it is an easy trap to fall into. We all want the best for our children. It is important though that we stand our ground on issues that we know are vital to their welfare and growth. You can be their father, their dad and even a friend, as long as you are the father first and foremost.