A Day to Remember

September 29th is an important anniversary for A Father's Pride.  In addition to it being the date of the first blog post, which you're reading now, two other important events happened on this date. 
 
Two years ago, in 2013, the idea for A Father's Pride first coalesced.  My oldest son had come out about a year prior, and I struggled with the best way to share the most important things I had learned. As I pondered the best way to share the things that I thought would make him happy and successful, I realized that we had already followed two different paths.  I got married and had children prior to choosing to live authentically and amicably divorcing his mom.  He, on the other hand, came out in high school. 
 
While I didn't have the same experience as my oldest son, many of my friends did.  They had already walked the path he was headed down. They could provide advice and counsel that I might not be able to.  And for every one of my friends who had some ideas about how to be happy and successful, there were hundreds of other gay men with something valuable to pass on to my son, and boys like him.  With that realization, this project was born.  And, on September 29, 2013, with the help of my friends, it found its name.
 
Then, like so many great ideas, the project sat dormant for a while.  I was busy with life, work, and raising a son. I made a few attempts to get things started, but it just wasn't good timing.
 
Then, on September 29, 2014, my second son came out.  Where my first son's coming out was anticipated, my second son's coming out was a surprise.  This event really brought home the value of multiple perspectives.  What might resonate with my oldest son might not resonate with his brother, and vice versa.    Once again, however, the project sat dormant as I dealt with a heavy work schedule and a poorly timed broken arm.
 
While it's been two years in the making, I'm very excited to be sharing this first blog post today.  The potential of A Father's Pride is just as real today as it was then.  The need for more experienced gay men to share their knowledge and wisdom with gay youth and their dads is still there.  The opportunity for gay elders to contribute to the next generation of gay men still exists.
 
Today I'm inviting you to share your thoughts with me and the gay youth who will eventually see this project.  Your advice can cover any topic that you think will help these young men live a happy and successful life, including areas like relationships, money, spirituality, health, or any other part of life where your insight might make a difference.
 
Thanks for reading, and I'll post more about the project as it moves forward.