My take on Harry Chapin's song

Harry Chapin was a favorite of mine and a song of his that most hard working fathers shutter at when they hear it is "Cat's in the Cradle" because when you hear the lyrics it makes you realize the importance of spending time with your son no matter how busy you are with your work. You need to realize it when your child is young when you still have time because as the years go by you will never get that time back. Life is forever moving and there is no going back as time only moves forward so as a working father I make it a point to spend as much quality time with my son as I can. Now that I am at my most busiest during these next 4 months I really have to try my best to be there for my son when I have some time and always make my self accessible. I know I have work responsibilities and I have to focus on my work as that is the source of my career and livelihood. I also realize I have to be the loving dad to my son too as I don't want to live the lyrics of Harry Chapin's classic song. It is a very emotional song with a powerful message.

Matthew enjoys our times together and I especially enjoy them as I am so happy to have such time with him and I am so very proud of him. I remember when I was a young boy and my dad would drive me to my little league games I enjoyed those times in the car with him and having father-son conversations and listening to the radio. I still have those vivid memories in my mind today as a father of a young son. I wish to provide my son with sound advice and all the love and encouragement he needs to conduct his own life when he is ready to venture out into the world. My dad always provided me with wisdom and a good work ethic and my mom provided me with nurturing and love like Maria provides for Matthew. Maria is the gentle influence in Matthew's life and she also is the disciplinarian. I am more easy going and try to provide Matthew with the knowledge and morals to conduct himself in a proper manner and to always be polite and helpful.

A son needs his mother for many things and that bond is a very important one and I am always happy when Maria and Matthew get to do things together. It is also crucial in a young boy's life to have a strong and healthy bond with his father as that is whom he learns from when he starts to grow into his own. A father must always be there to listen to his son and to provide a good example in how he conducts himself, how he takes on responsibility, how he respects others and how he handles matters. A father must be able to know how to deal with his feelings and take on all the necessary responsibilities and communicate this to his son in a way that his son understands and will be able to grow and mature to handle his own share of responsibilities and learn what life is all about and how he approaches relationships with girls as he becomes a young man. Life is a series of learning experiences over the years and it seems at times to be mundane but overall it is a wonderful thing and there are so many possibilities and this is what I try to help my son understand.

So when I am working late into the night I make it a point to call Maria and let her know how much I love her and also talk to Matthew to let him know his daddy is thinking of him and loves him very much. It is the Harry Chapin song that makes me realize that we must never lose sight of our family and our children when we are preoccupied with our work. We have to learn to balance the two and in life it seems learning to balance things is a necessity. Life is to enjoy with your family. It is not supposed to be an upsetting or frustrating existence. It is not supposed to be all work and no fun. It is not supposed to be an unsettling and uncertain existence. We all have to have confidence in our abilities so we can go out into the world to make a living so we can provide for our families and take on the financial burdens of a mortgage. We are supposed to live to work not work to live. I wish I could assure my son that the world he lives in will be a pleasurable and peaceful place and that he can accomplish all his hopes and dreams.

As I write this I just feel so blessed that I grew up in a family with wonderful parents and 2 wonderful sisters and now I am so fortunate and blessed again to have a wonderful and supportive wife and a wonderful and beautiful son who is the centerpiece of our life. I will always be there for you Matthew and I look forward to many days, weeks, month, years and decades with you and your mom and I wish only good things for you in your life.

Thank you Harry Chapin and your wife for such a beautiful and poignent song that makes you appreciate what you have as a husband and a father. We are sad we lost you so soon Mr. Chapin as I understand you were on your way to perform in concert when you were taken from us. We pray for you and appreciate your wonderful song.

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Edward D. Iannielli III