Since my wife and I adopted five boys, the things that I have a passion for have changed significantly. My passions before were for the things that most people are passionate about. I have discovered that doing the task that I have chosen consumes my sentiments, emotions, and excitement.
For the last fifty years, I have been very passionate about sports. I would plan all of my activities around the “big game”. My allegiance to the sports teams of my alma mater has consumed much of my time and emotions. This year, I did not know which teams were in the Super Bowl until the day before.
The screen saver on the computer that I am typing on shows a photograph of my favorite football team as they are about to run out on the field before a game. The photo shows the players looking through a plate glass window at a stadium of 70,000 screaming people dressed in red and white. The thought of being in the shoes of one of those young men is what every boy who grows up in my home state dreams about.
I have also been consumed with accumulating enough money to retire and be financially secure. To that end, I have read many financial magazines and books, watched many similar programs on television, and spent a lot of time studying. For years, I managed all of my investments because I did not think that there was anyone who could do a better job than me. Today, someone else takes care of my investments and I rarely check the markets or my portfolio.
This morning, the sermon in our church focused on the problems that people have with each other. As an illustration, the preacher repeated some of the despicable names that people call each other because of race. (There were no young children in the service.) The first example that he used was the word that some would use for an African American, the so-called N-word.
I have not heard that word in a number of years. I have to admit that there were times in my life when I have used the word. This morning, even though the word was used in context, it felt like someone had hit me in the stomach. My thought was, “He is talking about my children.” I tried to hide my emotion, but my wife was soon looking in her purse for a Kleenex so I could dry my eyes.
I used to be consumed with money and sports. Now my passion is making sure that our boys know that they are loved and giving them every chance to have normal, productive lives. My college team and my investments can both thrive without my direction and support.
I have been gifted with the opportunity to take five boys, whose future was bleak when they were born, and shape and mold them. Someday, they will have the chance to make their mark in this world on their own. They will be ready.