Inception - The act or process of bringing or being brought into existence. I've wanted nothing more than to teach my son the game of basketball, and he wanted nothing more than for me to be his coach. But before there was basketball, I wanted to be, not just a father to my sons, but the world's greatest Daddy. Growing up, I didn't have a father, and when my first son was born, I made a promise to myself that I will always be present in all of my children's lives.
I still remember the day when my girlfriend, Stephanie, texted me, letting me know that her water broke. It was November 14th, 2014 around 4:00PM and I was at work. A thrilled of excitement had overtaken my body, and I just wanted to be next to her, be there for her until we welcomed our baby boy into our world. "It's time!" I yelled at my manager across the office, before exiting the building. My manager already knew what time it was. Everyone who I ever had close encountered with, knew I was expecting a baby boy. For 9 months straight, that's all I ever talked about. I was ready to be a Daddy; I was so ready that I already planned out my 35 weeks of paternity leave; I was so ready from the first time Stephanie and I agreed to make a baby in February of that year, even though we had only been dating for about one month at that time. I was just ready to raise a child of my own.
From the moment I cut the umbilical cord of our newborn on the morning of November 15th, I knew for as long as my heart beats, my son will never live to see a deadbeat dad. And for the first time in my life, I found myself in a father-son bonding moment. Something I'd never experienced as a child. It was real. Amarion Stephen Henry was here, weighing in at 8-pounds, 6-ounces and measuring at 20 inches tall from head to toe. His presence made me feel so alive to a point where I just couldn't stop smiling as I looked at his tiny body. I was his Daddy and it was Daddy's Time!
Taking paternity leave was the best decision ever. It allowed me to be involved in all the early stages of my first son's life, from rocking him to sleep, to giving him baths, to reading him story books, to singing him lullabies and changing his diapers. It also gave me the opportunity to witness all of his first times, from his first burp, to his first smile, to his first roll over, to his first crawl. Fatherhood wasn't as difficult as I'd previously questioned it to be. I used to always wonder how can a father plant his seeds and forget where he dig his dirt? How can a father neglect a child of his own? However, I made it my duty to end the cycle, to welcome a new tradition of a loving, caring and present dad. I was living every day, to be best father to my son.
If you guessed it, then you are absolutely right. Yes, I did put a basketball in Amarion's hands from the day he was born. Yes, I did buy him a Little Tikes basketball hoop for his first birthday. And if you've ever asked me, I'll always be quite frank with you and admit that I always knew Amarion was destined to be a basketball player, even before he was born. Both Stephanie and I were former NCAA Division-one athletes, and we are tall parents, standing at (5-foot-9 and 6-foot-6, respectively) so yeah, there were never any doubts. But, for me, it was always more than just basketball, it was a bonding opportunity for me as his dad to pass along valuable knowledge of a sport that I love. There are so many life lessons I've learned through basketball that I still use today in every aspect of my life. Contrary to popular belief, basketball was never about an attempt to make my son something that I failed to achieve. I knew if I introduced the game to my son, he would love it as much as I do. Fortunately, it all panned out.
Amarion grew up around fitness and sports. Two months after he was born, Stephanie and I decided to join a CrossFit gym to get back in the shape we were prior to the pregnancy. We had no baby-sitters, so he would come along with us. During our workouts, we would attend to his needs between sets. It was a challenge at the beginning, but we managed through it all. Well, until he was able to crawl and some of the gym members started to complain about him getting in their ways. At that point, the gym owner decided that it was too dangerous for him to be there. So, I cancelled my membership. On the other hand, whenever I held basketball clinics or camps at a local school in our hometown of Chestermere, Amarion would be on the sidelines, scrutinizing every movements, while periodically causing distractions or disturbances by running on the courts during the sessions. Everyone found him to be cute, but they all saw how eager he wanted to learn too. At only 2 years old, he wanted to train alongside the older kids within his own baby-friendly terms, but as a coach to a program, it was too difficult trying to be a coach and a dad to my baby boy, while trying to develop these older kids. From that moment, I made a promise to Amarion that I would personally train him when he turns 6 years old. This was a promise that he would anticipate every year, and he was going to ensure that I fulfilled it too. Every birthday, he would ask me, "Are you going to train me basketball now?" But then, the year 2020 came and our worlds turned upside down. This was one of the most depressing moments in my life. Mentally, I was in a dark place and I was just wanted to be done...
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So elite, can’t wait to dive into your books and more blog. Keep up the grind!
good job man!! I enjoy following the journey you guys are on.
I’m so jealous 😅…. ✊🏽 good good read.
Great read. Amarion is a lucky kid. My dad walked out on my family when I was 10. I always asked the same questions. Loving the journey!