If we think about our place on this Earth too long and hard, we can talk ourselves into believing that we are but insignificant creatures just plodding along. And we would be pulling the wool over our own eyes.
Giants among us
We point to people like Jesus, Shakespeare, Lincoln, Edison, Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, perhaps The Beatles and others, as people who have touched humanity in such a way as to alter its course or reshape it. Each of us could name those "giants" throughout history who have influenced humankind's thinking, behavior or belief system.
If we zeroed in on our own minuscule corner of the world, we might be able to think of an individual - a teacher, minister, doctor, athlete - who was (is) a force of nature in our own lives. We just might consider this person, while perhaps not recognizable on a global scale, to be a "giant" in our own lives.
Dad vs. LeBron
Truth be known, chances are that you, dad, are that "giant" in your child's life. You may not know it, and your child may never admit it - at least not until he or she is older - but you may have more impact than anyone he has studied in a history book. In her eyes, you may loom larger than Abraham Lincoln or LeBron James or Jay-Z!
In fact, we're willing to bet you that your child, no matter what age, looks up to you and emulates your behavior even when you are convinced you are totally ignored. You might be amazed to know how much you are being observed when your child is not looking at you!
You have a big job to do, dad. These days so many young people - maybe your own child - suffer from low self-esteem. For many reasons, they think they don't matter. You need to point out that they possess the power to be a "giant" in someone else's life. We're all human, and we all appreciate a smile from someone, a pat on the back, a note of encouragement.
Your kids as "giants"
Your own child can make a significant difference in someone else's life. Impossible? Not at all. Think what a smile and conversation from your daughter could mean to an elderly woman whose family has forgotten her. Imagine your son sitting beside the kid in the cafeteria who always sits by himself. It seems so insignificant, doesn't it? To people whose lives seem inconsequential, these are "giant" acts of kindness. Holding a person's hand may not alter the course of civilization, but it could bring light to a dark corner of someone's world and make a lasting difference.
Tom Tozer and Bill Black write a syndicated column on fatherhood and are authors of "Dads2Dads: Tools for Raising Teenagers." Like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter at Dads2Dadsllc. Email them at tomandbill@Dads2Dadsllc.com.