The Marriage Abbey

My infant is now a full-fledged toddler, and the header photo shows something I’ve never seen before in him: the future. I’ve seen the future.

I see how he’ll instantly embolden and cheer up his friends and peers with a reassuring smile that speaks cool confidence.

I see how the relaxed shape of his eyes will stare at his beautiful bride one day and speak, “I am at peace with you.”

I see on his wide, partially open lips a future gentleman who is never afraid to speak goodness into unhappy or unjust situations.

I see in the tiny wrinkles under his eyes how he will be satisfyingly exhausted after chasing a little playground elf of his own one day.

I see in his eager posture how he will joyfully and passionately take on a challenge in a ministry, in a clinic, on the field, on a stage, or as an activist.

I see a little bit of my own dad’s cheeks and jawline in him, and my dad hasn’t been baby-faced for decades. And so I see the future.

No other photo I’ve taken has shown me what he’ll look like and what he’ll perhaps be doing a few decades from now. It’s a bit scary, seeing how quickly he’s grown and how I couldn’t bottle up his infancy to save for later. He’s older, and this photo is a peek at God’s plan for him. I have no expectations about his future, however; he will be who he will be.

I will only offer my fatherly love, some select Rites of Passage, and my love for my Katie to help guide him along.