This was a memorable weekend for my oldest son, Isaac. I didn't plan on it really. It just happened that way.
Last Wednesday Margaret called me up at work to tell me that Isaac was very discouraged. Not only was he emotionally hurt, he was also physically injured. He had smashed his finger pretty good trying to build himself a fort and he had given up. You know what I mean by fort, right? A hideout, a clubhouse, a secret laboratory. Every boy needs one. Anyway...
Over the past couple of years Isaac has attempted to build many forts. I have been concerned with his desire to build because he lacks some basic concepts in construction; he is still very young. He doesn't understand that heavy, unsecured boards overhead will only lead to disaster and now, he is trying to use tools which require supervision. Margaret suggested that I set aside some time on Sunday (Mother's Day) and build a fort with him. I thought it was a good idea so she handed the phone to Isaac and we made our plans. When I got home that evening I looked on the family calendar that we keep on the refrigerator and he had penciled-in our time on Sunday. Even after I saw this on the calendar, I still did not realize how much this time meant to him.
I remember when I was a kid growing up in Texas, the summers were so hot that we had to find ways to entertain ourselves indoors. My brother and I would build forts inside our room which would keep us busy for hours. We'd have blankets stretched out across the room secured to the dresser under a stack of encyclopedias (And Mom said we never used the encyclopedias—Ha!). In our fort our imaginations ran wild. We had our own little world in there. We were soldiers keeping the enemy out of our camp or we were castaways on a strange island keeping the hungry dinosaurs at bay. Whatever the situation was, we had a blast.
But I don't remember building these forts as much as I remember building the patio with my Dad or working on the car with him. The forts were fun, don't get me wrong, but spending time with Dad working in the yard or on the car or even fixing the sink were the times that made a lasting impression on me. Just hanging out with Dad at the hardware store or the auto parts shop always made my day. If I had the opportunity to go to the store with Dad, I went. Even if it was only to drop a letter off at the postoffice. I was always amazed at his knowledge of everything. I would observe him and ask him questions. He was my Dad and I was proud to be his son.
Yesterday morning after breakfast Isaac and I gathered some scrap boards, pieces of an old broken table and a tarp. He brought out the drill and the tool bag and I grabbed the screws. He put on my hardhat, like he usually does when we work together, and we built the fort. It didn't take long at all. It didn't take much effort either. My plan was simply to make something that would not easily fall over on him. My two oldest daughters came out and helped us with the finishing touches, the roof. We secured one end of the tarp to the structure and the other end to the fence. The fort was complete. To me it was just a couple of hours putting some boards together with my son; but to Isaac it was a fun time working with Dad. I was not aware of how much this meant to him until I saw his reaction. Once we were finished building the fort, Isaac was beaming with joy and excitement. He kept expressing his gratitude over and over again. I could see the happiness in his face and the bounce in his step. To me it wasn't that big of a deal and, actually, I wish I could have built him something bigger and better; but he thought what we built was just fine. He loved it. He began making plans of how to use it and what he was going to put in it.
I've come to realize that our children don't demand perfection or extravagance from us. All they desire, all they need is some time with us. Even if it's just a walk around the block or running an errand together; even an hour or two building a temporary fort in the back yard can make a huge and impact on them. Isaac got the best of both with this fort, he got the fort and he got to spend some time with Dad. I'm sure today he will be outside in his fort playing with his little brother, both of them letting their imaginations run wild.
I thank God for bringing those memories of my time with my father to mind. It has helped me put things in perspective. The next time I will purpose to make the most of my time with my children.
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