A Clear Sign: I Was Meant to be a Father
- By Time to Put Kids First
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- 21 Jan, 2017
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Author: Tyler Baker
Editor: Ben Williams
Date: 1/21/2017
I often look back on the last 3 years of my life and ask why I have given so much time, money and energy in fighting a battle to see my kids. It's overwhelming sometimes to think I've exerted enough energy to supply Las Vegas with 24 hours of power. I'm left wondering if I am supposed to be a dad or just move on, give up, and fight a different battle. I never thought my first marathon would be an ongoing battle to love my kids, I thought maybe it'd involve shoes and a road.
When I have these feelings of defeat, I am then reminded of a mere 5 seconds that changed my outlook on life. This picture is from June 4th, 2011; which also happens to be the same day my youngest was born. After working a 12 hour shift overnight at the hospital, I found myself driving behind a military convoy heading to a training session. The rumble strips woke me up, but before I could even move my foot to brake, I plowed into a Military truck at an estimated 50 MPH. Dazed and confused, glasses broken, and my phone smashed, I looked over to the passenger door and saw a military man prying the door open to pull me out, their training session became a real life rescue mission. He reached in my car and me pulled out, carrying me to the field nearby. I looked at him and said, "my daughter was just born." In an attempt to keep me conscious, he asked me to tell him about her and how beautiful she was. Within what seemed like a few moments, an ambulance arrived and brought me to the hospital. I walked away with a mere bruise from the seat belt and I was able to walk away and go home that same day.
If ever I feel defeated, I remember this day. A day that if I were not supposed to be in their life's, the big guy upstairs would have let me know and called me home. Not a single person, even their mother, can look me in the eyes and say "sorry, you can't be in their life". Because this story, this picture, is testimony, that in fact, I am MEANT to be.
