11 Comments
May 26, 2023Liked by Jonathan Neeley

"It’s just that if your head is far enough into the sand, the sacred can become profane in a hurry. The right tool applied to the wrong job is the wrong tool. " I love this. You're so right and I'm sorry that you had to learn this way in such a personal way. Your writing so tenderly reveals the ache of a child who just wants their parent's love. Keep writing, please. It's a kindness to your readers that you allow us this glimpse into your life.

Expand full comment
founding
May 30, 2023·edited May 30, 2023Liked by Jonathan Neeley

Dad's can do some stupid stuff to their kids and not even realize its hurting. Just today, in the ongoing battle to get my son to get ready for school in a timely fashion, I managed to scare him and freak him out to the point that he thinks I don't care about him. It will take a day of hugs and reassuring and explaining to help him understand my intentions were founded in my love and care for him, that I am trying to teach him how to operate in a world with other people. He still doesn't get how his actions affect the world around him. Sometimes dads do the same thing. My dad was a dumbass too, but I'm lucky that he's mostly figured it out and is still around at this point.

Here's to us new(er) dads trying to do better and learn from the generations before us so the generations after us can be even better! 🥂

Also, when we screw up, lets own it and learn from that too.

Expand full comment
May 31, 2023Liked by Jonathan Neeley

"The drives home from practice, the math tests, the trips to the orthodontist—life plays out on these stages. Relationships are built on their rhythms."

So true. I've always believed in quantity time :)

Expand full comment