NFL tight end Ben Watson shared a lesson on fatherhood that every father needs to hear over the weekend on Facebook.
“The perfect dad is not the man who never makes mistakes,” Watson wrote. “It is, however, the man who does not take lightly the influence he has on his children and their future and strives to live and love them accordingly.”
Being a father brings a certain level of influence, one that men should not take likely, Watson expressed—and one that can be a challenge.
“This challenge, responsibility, and calling is not trivial or something to be dismissed,” he wrote. “It is a privilege, joy and great responsibility.”
Watson, a father of seven, pointed out that fatherhood is not an easy job. In fact, it’s often quite difficult, but it is a spectacular journey.
“It is not for the faint of heart nor the pompous and proud,” he added. “And though the road presents its own unique obstacles and situations it is a journey worth pursuing.”
“Through imperfection may we continue to strive to set the standard for the men we want our sons to become and the benchmark for the man we want our daughters to love,” he concluded.
Watson is currently amidst a move to Boston, Massachusetts with his family of seven to join his new team, the New England Patriots.
Last week, in a post to The Increase, a Christian sports publication, Watson explained his decision to join the Patriots, even after he failed an off-season drug test.
Watson, after announcing his retirement in January, started taking Bio-Identical Testosterone Cypionate, which is a commonly taken drug by NFL players once they retire, as it helps speed up the post-football healing process.
A few months later, a door opened up with the New England Patriots, and Watson announced that he would come out of retirement to play one more season.
Although he failed the drug test, after praying on his decision to rejoin the NFL, Watson decided to stick it out, take the suspension, and play through the season with the Patriots. Though, with his reputation and good name at stake, the decision was not an easy one.
“What would my family say and what questions would they have to answer?” he thought. “What about the guys in the locker room whom I had a positive impact on over the last 15 years?”
Ultimately, after prayer and counsel with his wife, the couple decided not to hide from the suspension. Instead, Watson will use the experience to teach a lesson to his children.
“When my kids look back on this, I hope they will have learned something about strength of character from their father,” he wrote. “I hope that others can see my motive to honor Christ through my words and actions.”
“Even though I’m far from perfect, I aim to represent Christ in every opportunity I’m given,” he concluded.