Before he was born, I never felt like I needed a son. I loved my daughters and I saw myself (perhaps due to my role as Tevye) as a man who was surrounded by girls. In fact, I was a bit wary of having a son. My interests do not fall in line with the stereotypical American man. I was concerned that I would be setting any son of mine up for a difficult adolescence as they would not have the background information needed to fit in with the sports-following, beer-drinking, car-loving crowds.
And yet, the moment Trevor was born, I knew that my life had been incomplete. Here was a son whose father might not have the knowledge needed for him to fit in, but who will be loved nonetheless. As the years have gone by, I believe that for all the "normal" things I did not teach him, other perhaps more desirable traits have come forth as he developed into a young man.
I am proud of Trevor, and excited to see what his future holds. Still, I feel that there is more that I need to teach him about life and the world. I'm not ready for him to be an adult yet. Fortunately, it seems that I don't have a say in the matter.