I remember one afternoon when I was single, in my early thirties, walking up First Avenue in New York City. A man walked passed me in the opposite direction, with a little toddler riding happily on his shoulders. As he passed, I felt a tinge of jealousy. It made me stop short. What was that?!! I had never felt such a thing before. I was young, happy and single, having the time of my life. The thought of wanting to be tied down with a child had never crossed my mind. I was on the hunt constantly – some successes, plenty of strikeouts, but it was always exciting. Where on earth had this alarming new sensation come from?
It took a few more years, but I finally did get married and become a father. And contrary to the expectations of my youth, being a father to my daughter has been far and away the greatest joy of my life.
Yeah, that’s her up there. I can’t believe it, but she just turned 18!
