Fatherhood

 

“Knowing that one day you would walk her down the aisle—just as you were once given, so you would give yours.”

---

“Daddy, we were sent out of class today.” Angie’s tiny eyes searched her father’s face with innocent excitement. Skipping school thrilled her.

Gabriel had just stepped in, briefcase in hand. He exhaled deeply. “Where’s your mother?” The forty‑year‑old loosened his tie, scanning the living room.

“In the kitchen?” His eleven‑year‑old son appeared suddenly, answering for her. He ran clumsily and crashed into his father. Gabriel patted his back lightly.

Angie stayed seated on the floor, focused on her homework. David retreated, sensing the unease that settled over his father. He took a few cautious steps back, studying the frown that had formed.

“Babe?” Gabriel dropped his briefcase on the sofa. Worry softened his face as he walked toward the kitchen. “Babe?”

Rachel stood by the stove, apron tied tight, stirring absent‑mindedly. A hard frown sat on her face. Gabriel paused, watching her in silence.

“Babe?”

She shot him a sharp look, turned off the gas, and brushed past him.

“Where’s my hug?” he asked, more habit than expectation.

“Upstairs,” she replied curtly, already climbing the stairs.

He picked up his briefcase and followed her. Once inside the bedroom, he shut the door.

“Angie told you they were sent home today,” Rachel snapped. “Like my children, sent out because of school fees?”

“Babe, I told you… we haven’t been paid for two months now.”

“Save it. What an embarrassment! What will the neighbors think when they see our children at home during school hours?”

“Please,” he pleaded, voice low. “You’re being too hard on me. I know I’m failing, but don’t do this.”

“I run this house. I clean, I cook, I care for your children, and the one thing you’re meant to do, you can’t even manage!”

“They’re your children too, Rachel! And if it’s that easy, do it! You have savings, don’t you?”

“Remind me why I married you,” she spat. “You’re worthless.”

“Rachel! Watch your mouth!”

“Mtcheew. Excuse me.” She shoved past him and stormed downstairs.

Gabriel sank onto the bed. How would he tell her the company had just laid him off? A sharp sob climbed his throat, cutting his breath short. Yes—men cry too.

His inability to provide stripped him of dignity. It broke him.

He reached for his phone and dialed a number. He needed a voice that wouldn’t judge him: one that would soothe him, assure him that things would be fine.

“Hello?”

“I’m coming over.”

“Okay, babe.” The line went dead.

Gabriel washed his face, grabbed his car keys, and left the house.

From the dining table, Rachel called out, “Your food’s in the kitchen!”

There was no response.

---

ORATOR:

Men cry too.

Men get scared. Men feel overwhelmed. Beneath the toughness, men are fragile.

Fatherhood is a stage that frightens many, though few admit it. A man’s deepest joy is providing for those he loves; the agony of failing at that duty is indescribable. Often, such men are mistaken for being indifferent when, in truth, they simply lack the means.

The burden of being a breadwinner is more than financial, it is psychological. It is a responsibility that keeps a man awake, pushing forward even when his strength is spent.

Yes, there are fathers who truly do not care, but they are the exception, not the rule.

Fatherhood is not money alone. It is security, protection, guidance, discipline, presence, and order.

A man’s wife is his first daughter. See your fiancée as your daughter; see the woman you court as your first responsibility. It reshapes your mindset and creates safety. Every lion defends its pride. You are Mufasa.

Do not dodge responsibility. Take it head‑on. Do not say you have nothing and settle there, for how long? Who then carries your family?

If you cannot run, walk. If you cannot walk, crawl. If you cannot crawl, roll—but keep moving. Determination always attracts a response.

How do you sleep twelve hours while your family survives on one meal?

“Things will get better.”

How?

Do you want your children on the streets? Your son stealing, your daughter vulnerable to predators?

Carry the pressure. Even if you fail, let it be said you tried.

This pressure has pushed many young men into crime, as wages no longer match the cost of living. Still, there is always a way. Competence finds paths where excuses find walls.

A father is a visionary and a strategist. He anticipates. He plans. He communicates. He acts.

Practice fatherhood daily. Take initiative. Provide structure. When security exists, flaws are forgiven.

Provision does not excuse absence. Learn from mentors. Observe families that thrive and study the effort behind them.

Be an excellent parent. Build. Nurture. Protect.

Hard times do not justify seeking pleasure elsewhere. Build your home. Water it. Love your wife openly. Love is not words, it is action.

You will not lose your dignity by making breakfast, helping with homework, or doing laundry.

Push your family toward their full potential. Be the foundation they rise from, not the ceiling they hit.

Uphold justice in your home. Listen. Resolve conflict. Protect unity. Hold your wife tight, pride belongs in the trash.

Challenges will come and go, but a united home endures.

Go build your home.

And Make it, 'One Big Happy Family.'

NEXT PAGE...