Godfather

My time has come. I have added a new title to my name. Godfather. I know for many that’s something ordinary. But there are others who don’t want it. I was one of them.

Being asked to be godparents for a wedding feels like a big responsibility to me. Besides that, you will be a sponsor for the wedding and a witness to the civil ceremony. Then there is the religious ceremony. All this implies you have to be presentable. If you have a wife like mine you will soon find out that means a lot of shopping. So you might need to make “a few” purchases for the event.

The priest best summarized the godparent as someone to talk to about problems. Problems that you have a hard time talking about, even with your own parents. Godparents are pillars for the new marriage to withstand the different winds that will test it.

When I think of Godfather, my first thought flies to the movie with the same name. Come on, you must at least heard about it if you haven’t seen it. Where basically you are a patron and paying for the wedding and taking care of problems. At the wedding and in the family later on.

 "Someday, and that day may never come, I'll ask a service of you."

One thing that made me feel like the godfather from the movies: Your glass will never be empty. Even if I took just a sip, the glass was full again. It was a bit irritating in the beginning but you learn to roll with it. Some other perks: you are always In the inner center of attention. You usually get your own room to rest and have a great view of the place.

At Church, one story resonated with me. A priest’s tale about a man’s journey:

In the beggining you are young and you want to change the world. Only to find no one listens to you. Then you get married and you find your wife won't listen to you. Later you have kids just to find they wont listen to you either. In the end you realize all you can change is yourself.

The wedding was in the mountain region. Where men are men and drink heavy stuff that would put an elephant under the table. Don’t get me wrong I’ve had my share of heavy drinking. On the table and under the table. Even through doors. Young men are a bit like raging bulls. Not anymore. Now I’m fine staying laid back. Like the godfather.

To think I didn’t want to do it. Because I’m an introvert. Because I barely know the couple. Because of the economy. The list is long.

But my wife has a different view. She’s an extrovert and fun-loving. Maybe you will not be called again if you keep refusing people. Or you will be too old. There is never a perfect time and you can’t wait for the planets to align. I thought that maybe I can’t be of much help to the couple. Then I realized I have 5 years of marriage. A 3 and a half years son. Beautiful wife. A roof over my head. So maybe I know a thing or two.

So here I am. The Godfather.

What about you, would you want to be a godparent in the future? Or are you one already?

If you like my stories, you can also check out my book.

Side by side is a book about the first years of parenting. Both the beauty and the hidden side of parenting. The long nights and troubled days. Parents who try and fail and then try again. And how your little one puts a smile on your face and you forget everything just in time to start a new challenging day.  It follows the first 2 years of a new dad and his journey, side by side, along with his son.