I am your father.

Those four words, made from thirteen letters can be powerful, destructive or empathetic when said together or individually.

They can be spoken in anger, a last resort, a statement of ‘I know best’ before you are sent to your room with our eyes not meeting. Or whispered with love as last words told with pride, or sadness as a life closes without you.

I have used only the one intonation, that is clear but now that gives me the chance to tell you with love that I am your father,

But first, ‘I’ allows me to own the phrase, expand on it as see fit and if said with anger lays the ground for the rest of any confrontation.

Am. This is the now and can not be changed. I accept the ‘am’ as this defines the relationship, the living bond between two beings. This is not in your control.

Your. This however is the deliberate passing of the ownership of me, as your father to you. It is a gift that I gave freely and for you to use, discard, spend or nurture. I can not direct you on this, only you will know over time the price worth paying now, or saving it for a future day. But remember like anything, the possession of ‘your’ erodes and without careful handling time will decay ‘your’ to a final wisp of what could have been.

Father. So much can be attached to the reality of the word. It can be a global handle, an individual statement or possessive fact. It can be cold and clinical, biological even to share without emotion or it can be said with pride and kept, blushing and occasionally brought out to meet and mingle in your world.

One day, I hope you will be a father and like at any T junction you will know in your heart which route to pick, so choose carefully. There is no going back once words have been spoken.

What am I?

It is very clear and I say it with love that I am your father.