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Is it the larger than life mascots? The colorful interiors? The over-salted-over-greasy food? The fact that they only get it during “special occasions”? I don’t know what it is about fast food, but kids just LOVE it. I admit, even I get those fast-food cravings every now and again, but the extreme joy that kids get from a Clown, a Colonel, a King, and (here in the Philippines), a Bee, seems almost irrational.

My kids, I’m happy to say, have good eating habits. They like home-cooked (in our case, Filipino) food, they enjoy their fruits and veggies, and generally eat well. But when they hear the words, “ok kids, we can have (insert the name of a fast food joint) today”, the smile that comes over their faces is indescribable. Then when they’re actually in the middle of their fast-food feast, my younger daughter usually says, while licking her lips, “mmm, delicious!” while her older sister proclaims “this is the perfect day!”. See, irrational joy.

The other day, we were on our way to pay our final respects to the dad of an uncle, and my older daughter was with us. This is her conversation with her Mom :

Daughter: Mommy, does it hurt when we die?
Mom: Sometimes Sweetheart.
(My Thoughts): Phew, good thing she's asking Mommy and not me.

Daughter: When Papa Jesus died, did He say "Ouch, ouch, ouch"?
Mom: We don't know, but I think he probably did.
(My thoughts): Probably too early to have her watch Passion of Christ.

Daughter: Mommy, what does Papa Jesus say when He calls us?
Mommy: We don't know that either coz we haven't been called yet.
(My thoughts): Great answer Babes, you're on a roll!

Daughter: Mommy, how does God make people alive again in Heaven?
Mommy: He's God so He has that power.
(My thoughts): OK, we're getting into some serious theological areas now.

Daughter: Mommy, can we pray that when we die, it won't be ouchy?
Mommy: Of course Sweetie. That's what we all pray for.
(My thoughts): How to change topic? How to change topic?

Daughter: Mommy, when I go to Heaven, can I go to McDonalds?
Mommy: *Laughs* Sure!
(My thoughts): Ah, McDonalds, you did it again! 

You gotta hand it to these Fast Food guys, they know what they’re doing! And they’re living proof of the Marketing adage: You wanna get to the parents’ wallets? Hook their kids!

Disclaimer: This post is NOT brought to you by McDonalds, nor do I have any association with the Golden Arches aside from being a sometime-customer. Now, would you like to upsize those fries and drink?

Fatherhood. Parenthood. When I really get the chance to think about being a parent, I can’t help but be overwhelmed and awed at what that actually means. Basically, God has seen me as “worthy” enough to be a dad. He has entrusted two of his angels to me, to love, care for, provide for, protect, and raise in such a way that they grow up to be adults who live lives of such grace that they will eventually go home to our Father in heaven. Whoa, talk about a responsibility!

More than a responsibility, parenthood is a gift. And like any real gift, it is given by the giver not because of merit, but out of love. And like any gift, it should be thankfully received by the recipient. My wife and I waited 10 long years for our first “gift”, and many times, we thought we would never be recipients. But now that we are (twice over to boot), we consider ourselves blessed beyond belief.

Parenthood is also a sacrifice. Despite the flowery prose on Hallmark Cards and the oh-so-happy-family-portraits-in-yet-to-be-sold-picture-frames, this gig is hard. We find ourselves giving and giving, and when we feel we have nothing more to give, we somehow give more. There are times that our kids drive us nuts. There are times when we just want to get away from them, and when this feeling hits, it makes us parents (especially first-timers) feel absolutely guilty. But we shouldn’t. Sometimes we need time for ourselves just to recharge. As for the kids making us crazy? Don’t worry about it. Afterall, these are humans, not robots that we program to our liking. And one of the most wonderful parts of this journey is watching our kids grow, seeing them develop into individuals with their own unique character and personality, even if parts of their personality drive us up the wall!

One of my favorite things is holding my daughters’ hands. I love it when they reach out just coz they want to hold Daddy’s hand, whether we’re watching TV, having a meal, or walking in the mall. The imagery is beautiful – their tiny hands totally engulfed in mine, totally safe, totally secure. Beyond the imagery, it’s what this simple act represents – their total trust in me, and my unconditional love for them.

Another Monday. The start of another work week. People tend to hate Mondays coz it means the weekend is over and another long week of work awaits. I’m not one of those people, probably because I like what I do.

In terms of my career, I’ve run pretty much the gamut of possibilities. I’ve worked for giant corporations, I’ve worked for small start-ups, I’ve worked for family, and I’ve worked for myself. All have their positives and negatives. Right now, I work for both myself, and I am also involved in my in-laws’ company. Though I started off as a corporate guy (and growing up that’s what I always thought I’d be), I realized pretty early on that I wasn’t cut out for the corporate life and that my path lay in entrepreneurship. It’s a hard and scary life. And I sometimes lie in bed at night thinking if I made the right decision. I question if trying to make it with my own business is worth it, and wouldn’t it be easier to go back and work for a big company, punch the clock, and get my 15th and 30th. But then I remember why I chose this path in the first place.

My dad was a successful executive – I can even say he was a ridiculously successful executive, and because of his work, we were afforded a life beyond anything I could have dreamed. But I remember him telling me one day, “I work hard, and I’m paid handsomely for that work, but at the end of it all, when I retire, I leave this all behind. For all the titles I may hold, I am basically a hired gun, and when it’s time, I’ll be given a nice separation package, but that’s it. That’s the end.” And that stuck with me. Don’t get me wrong. I am so proud of what my dad accomplished and I am so thankful to him because the reason I am able to do what I do now is because he has given me so much. Words will never express how thankful I am. But now, as I struggle and work hard, and try to match or even out-do my own dad (as sons are prone to want to do), I always go back to what my dad told me – “I am basically a hired gun”. And I realize that my entrepreneurial drive comes from wanting to do something that my dad, despite all his success, could never do. At the end of everything, when I step away, I want to be able to hand over a successful company to my daughters. Now whether they actually want it, that’ll be their choice. But I want to be able to give them that choice.

So to the dads out there who have chosen this entrepreneurial path as well, and, who like me, are still fighting to “make it”, keep your heads up and remember what inspired you and who continues to inspire you. I am more than willing to embrace the sacrifices and hardships now if it means giving my daughters a couple of steps up in life. Afterall isn’t that why a father has broad shoulders? So his kids have a firm foundation to support them as they themselves rise.

Another Monday. Let’s get at it.