Yes I am a Dad, thank you very much. And this little guy has turned my world upside-down (in a good way, despite no sleep). I had heard comments referring to this from other fathers, they would say things like, “there is nothing like it”, and I kinda smile as I went about my business. But from the moment my son was born, I get “IT”, and “IT” changes your life.
One thing that I definitively noticed, was when we were leaving the hospital yesterday to go home for the first time. Man, I had never driven my car so aware, and so carefully before in my life. I literally had the thought run through my head that if a car were about to hit us, that I would want to make sure my side takes the hit. It was right then that I understood now that I had “IT”, and that i’m a Dad now!!
Published by Drew G. I. Hart, PhD
Rev. Dr. Drew G. I. Hart is an associate professor of theology at Messiah University and has 10 years of pastoral experience prior to teaching. He currently directs Messiah University's "Thriving Together: Congregations for Racial Justice" program and co-hosts Inverse Podcast with Jarrod McKenna, an award-winning peace activist from Australia. Hart is the author of Trouble I've Seen: Changing the Way the Church Views Racism (2016) and Who Will Be A Witness?: Igniting Activism for God's Justice, Love, and Deliverance (2020). And he is also a co-editor and contributor to the recently published book entitled Reparations and the Theological Disciplines: Prophetic Voices for Remembrance, Reckoning, and Repair (Nov. 2023). Hart received bcmPEACE’s 2017 Peacemaker Award, the 2019 W.E.B. Du Bois Award in Harrisburg, PA, and most recently in December 2023 Life Esteem Ministries recognized him in Harrisburg with the Harambee Award for the Nguzo Saba Principle of Umoja—Unity for his faith-based activism and public scholarship in the community. Drew and his family live in Harrisburg, PA.
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Drew G. I. Hart 
The “IT” you talk about is truly a treasure from God. Never let go of “IT”. Parenthood is such a great tool that he uses to teach us about our relationship with him.
My wife and I have a 16-month-old and I went through the exact same thing when we loaded him up to take him home from the hospital that first time. All I know is that you are in for a real treat with a lot more “getting IT” moments coming your way.
The first time my son walked up to me, reached out his arms to me to pick him up so he could sit on my lap (last night) just reinforced what “IT” is all about. I didn’t even realize it until he had been sitting on my lap for a few minutes and then it dawned on me that he just wanted to feel my embrace.
Oh, how our Father longs for us to want to feel his embrace.