a dad's baseless fears

It takes a totally neurotic lunatic to be a father, I swear. Or maybe that's just me. Every day, every hour I can't help but worry about the most ridiculous things. Don't run in the house, babe, you might fall. Walk slowly down the steps, you might trip and crack your skull and break your teeth and arm and both legs. Don't hit the ball so hard. Chew your food all the way. Don't drink that so quickly. Don't do that. Don't go there. Be careful. Don't move. Exhausting. My job is to protect them. I try. And at 5 and 7 they've never had a serious malfunction or catastrophe. But I live in fear nonetheless. My boys are perfection and I need them to be safe. Still, that fear should remain a father's fear, not the children's. A dad must be extra careful so that the kids can be kids. Gotta cut the cord one of these days. Easier said than done.