King Parent Officer
I am somebody's father.
Let me say that again.
I... am... someone's... faaaaather!
What a prestigious title. I marvel on it not because of the inherent responsibility that goes with it. At 32, I can handle and be ready for just about anything, but I am somebody's father.
King of country, the most successful CEO, the greatest artist the world has ever known - they have nothing on what it means to be a parent. I intimately control the outcome of this child's life. It's up to me if she is going to be happy or dysfunctional. Again, the responsibility is not the weight here. This is a title I gladly and confidently don; zero fear in my child-rearing skills. I just didn't realize how much pride it would give this megalomaniac to assume the position. I deserve a crown; a jeweled-encrusted scepter; to be surrounded by yes-men who would wash and perfume my feet.
Think of the power. I elected myself without my daughter's consent. She didn't ask to be born but her parents made a decision and created her. She's going to begin life whether she wanted to or not. With the life expectancy at nearly 80 years, we've dumped her into quite a committment not to mention it's up to us how she lives it. What control!
In a kingdom, subjects have to be subjugated, there's work involved and it's also implied they were free at one point. My daughter was born into slavery and complete depedence on me, her life leader. Think about what that means.
Now realize that anyone can take this role. Anyone, including the unqualified.
Kings, CEOs and artists can blame their subjects, stockholders and fans for failure. A parent is absolutely responsible and has power beyond imagination, beyond philosophy, beyond science. Religion comes close but even Jesus Christ did not have this much power. His power was a fix to a calamity sustained and perpetuated by us parents. Without us, there would have been no need for the sacrifice. We summoned the Son of God.
Only God has as much power as a parent does and even He only created two people then handed us the torch to create many more. We are God. This is the way it has always been in nature. It has gone on millions of years and an inifinte number of times, but that awesome power of being a parent isn't diminished in the least. It may not be recognized or executed properly, but the power is still there.
