The Art of Fatherhood ? Always Jacked

I?ve made the observation before, about how Hollywood has made the ?absent father? a near-cliche.

Few directors have touched upon the relationship, or lack of one, between fathers and sons more often than Steven Spielberg. He was on 60 Minutes last night, talking about Lincoln, a movie I can?t wait to see.

The piece delved into his childhood, a childhood that sounded like one of his movies. Lonely kid with a workaholic dad and loving, present mother. Not much of an athlete, he?s bullied constantly. Gets a camera from his dad and starts making movies. Pours the pain of his parents divorce into his work. Become famous. Terrifies a generation of children ? including my wife ? by making E.T.

Spielberg was about 35 when he made E.T. He said that it started as a story about his parent?s divorce, which had happened years earlier and that he still wasn?t over. He blamed his father, for leaving them. Turns out, he didn?t know the truth. His mother had fallen in love with another man. His father didn?t tell him until years later, out of love for his mother.

"If my dad was around, he would be totally pissed."

That love is obvious. You can see that love, still, in an old man?s eyes, as he talked about things that happened almost 50 years ago. Things that changed not just the life of his young son, but popular culture.

I?ve made the observation before, that there?s a lot of art powered by absent fathers. But if you look at what?s happening to fatherhood right now, how much more involved men are in the raising of their children, absent fathers are becoming less common.

My dad worked a lot, at hours that were not convenient for the attending of baseball games or school plays or any of those other things that dads try to be there for now. And his job ? he was an electrician ? wasn?t one where he could finish up from home at night.

My job is different. I have flexibility and a laptop. Sometimes it feels like I am always working. That I never get time to pursue things I?m interested in, just for myself.?But, I can go trick or treating with the boys on Wednesday afternoon.

I?ll take the trade off.

Maybe we?ll never have another E.T. Maybe that?s just fine.

Source: http://www.alwaysjacked.com/2012/10/the-art-of-fatherhood/

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