Difficult Virtues

I turn 25 later this year.
Which makes younger me rather sad.
Because younger me thought that by now,
I would be married,
and have kids.
That I'd be a dad.
And I'll admit,
that every time I get to play with younger kids,
it's both a great joy and sadness.

A great joy,
because I'm doing
what I wanted to be doing.
A great sadness,
because it's only for a moment.
These aren't my kids.

And sure.
I don't have to deal with the crazy hours.
The various bodily fluids.
The noise.
The tempers and complaining.

I'd take it all in a heartbeat.
Just to be a dad.
But it's not the sort of thing that you can short-cut.
Well.
You can.
But I'd rather not.
*sighs*

Patience.
It's a virtue.
That is difficult.
Sorry younger me.
There's rather a ways to go yet.