A careful man I want to be…

…I’m building for the years to be.

The power of this project is beginning to take hold. It only takes two people to have a conversation about a particular topic. Certainly a single person can think, pray, reflect and seek understanding but it is the beautiful fabric of our humanity, our connectedness that deeply enriches our knowledge.

I recently reconnected with my friend Jon who lives in Seattle and we talked about life, laughed about happy times, and cried for those we lost. Jon is the friend who introduced me to Stoicism and for that, I will be eternal grateful. We chatted about the purpose of this website and Jon quickly offered new content that guides him each day he wakes up. Jon is a new father and views his life and every single action through the lens of his son. I share with you beautiful prose about parenting. The poem is entitled “A Little Fellow Follows Me”:

A careful man I want to be,
A little fellow follows me;
I do not dare go astray,
For fear he’ll go the self-same way.
I cannot once escape his eyes,
Whate’er he sees me do, he tries;
Like me he says he’s going to be,
The little chap who follows me.
He thinks that I am good and fine,
Believes in every word of mine;
The base in me he must not see,
The little chap who follows me.
I must remember as I go,
Through summer’s sun and winter’s snow;
I’m building for the years to be
That little chap who follows me.

• Author, Unknown