At times long ago, when some disaster or other struck somewhere around the world, I might have given the event a simple "that's sad" type of thought and then moved on, not truly feeling how significant the event was to those whom it struck and generally not feeling a great amount of empathy. Since becoming a father, however, my perspective has changed. Stories about children now strike me more deeply, and the stories about the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster are appalling, and scary. By "scary" I mean that they make me think even more of what it might mean for me to lose Dorothy, or for her to lose her parents. Every week I learn more about how much Dorothy means to me, and just how strong a parent's love for his child can be.
Two Daddy blogs eloquently (even if off-handedly) give perspective to our lives and describe the sense of gratitude I feel for having a happy, healthy family:
MetroDad and LaidOff Dad.