Live From New York

Here's an old post from myspace.com. I've been thinking about this sort of thing of late.
Last night at work, I saw a perfect example of what father/son relationships should be. A man and his about 14 year old son came in last night, supposedly they were regulars, just to have coffee together and talk. They stayed beyond their coffee and chocolate, for hours more, just enjoying each other's company, talking with the other employees and even playing a game of chess. Through their laughter, and the fact that the son was not embarrassed to be seen with his dad, one could tell that they truly loved each other.
I know this is very simple, but I was stuck by the strength I saw in their relationship. I believe that the presence of a loving father is integral to every young man's development. And simply spending time together is a key part of that. The number of fathers absent from their son's lives, whether physically or emotionally is staggering in America today. Simple abandonment, lack of any semblance of responsibility, and even abuse are all also to blame. This absence is directly proportional to the amount of violence, crime and reckless behavior so often found in young men. And these young men, without an example of what a father should be, keep this cycle going, treating their sons just as their fathers had treated them, ad infinitum.
But this problem can be rectified. The cycle of abandonment, poor relationships, and violence can be cut. However, to do so will require effort of the fathers. Fathers must be actively, and lovingly involved in the lives of their sons. Even if it is something as simple as playing chess over a cup of coffee, that can make an enormous difference, not only in the life of that young man, but eventually in society as well.