Powerful Position

If and when you watch the movie Walk the Line, directed by James Mangold and starring Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash and Reese Witherspoon as June Carter, pay attention to the way Johnny Cash's father impacted young Cash's life. The movie portrays Johnny's life as the celebrity he was and a very troubled person with periods of drug and alcohol problems. These problems, in part, appear to be traced to his father and the early death of his brother.

I have for a very long time observed how men and women attribute their success or failure to their father and his example in the family. I have seen this expressed in many books I've read. The latest example is Jimmy Carter's book, Our Endangered Values where he mentions on page 16 "My basic , or traditional beliefs were most persuasively presented to me by my father ...". Another example is in my mother's autobiography where she wrote about the admiration of her father as she described how she would put her small tender hand in his and marvel at his big hand and the work he could do with it. I've heard people talk at funerals about the impact of fathers on shaping opinion and setting example.

Think about your own father and the influences he had on you. I expressed some of my thoughts about mine on this blog on February 11.

If you are a father, you should realize how powerful your position is in affecting lives beyond bringing home money from a job. The way we behave, think, and opine are being observed and internalized by children. Our position is more powerful than the president's or any other politician or leader among us.

I've got to get ready for school, have a good day!