I remember one time, my dad sat me down when I was 9 years old and he was going out of town on a business trip.  He looked at me, with a serious face, and said, “Andy, this weekend, you are the man of the house.  This weekend, this house is your responsibility.”

You cannot imagine how thrilled I was.  I immediately, (after hugging him goodbye) ran and told my sisters and brother.  “I am the MAN of the house, you will listen to me.”  Oooh, that was my very first experience on a power trip, and like every other one, I really didn’t have any power at all.  I had responsibility.  When I was 9, I thought that I got to be the boss.  (I think I even tried to tell my mom what to do and what to make for dinner…. You DON’T do that)

I had no idea the responsibility my dad had just laid on me.  When I hear man of the house now, I think, I will take a bullet for anyone in this house.  I will put myself in harms way if it will save my family.  Sometimes I wonder if my dad thought the same thing then.  I wonder if he was secretly sitting me down and saying, ” Son, listen up.  This world is crazy, and you never know what is going to happen.  But, this weekend I am going to be out of town, so no matter what happens it is your responsibility to protect my family.  It is your responsibility to keep them calm if the power goes out, or if a tornado hits.  You have to think quickly, about what is best, not just for you, but for them.  Son, I am trusting my life to you.”

Do I really think that is what he meant?  I don’t know.  Kind of.  That’s a big step for anyone.  Ask any guy about the first time his dad told him he was the man of the house.  I bet most guys have that memory.  It is one of my best memories.  One of my best memories is when my pops trusted me enough to put his entire family in my hands, and tell me he trusted me.

Did anything happen that weekend?  No. Praise God.  But that step in my life, even if just for a minute, was awesome. Even if three years later, I completely betrayed that trust, For that weekend, I was trusted.  I was loved.  I was becoming a man.  To this day, I think back on things like that my dad did, and it all makes sense.  We weren’t just playing house.  He wasn’t just teasing me.  He was preparing me.  I refused to see it, and sometimes even refused to listen or learn.  But I’m looking back now, and seeing it.

Today, I am the man of the house.  It’s something sometimes I lose sleep over.  Because this world is crazy, and you never know what is going to happen, and now it is my responsibility.  Full Time.

intense.  I don’t know if this is making any sense or what.  It was on my mind so I thought I’d write it out.

To you, what makes a man?  Do you remember your first ‘man of the house’ experience?  Please do share!