Re-union
March 30, 1977 is a most significant date in my life.
It is the birth-date of my firstborn son, Rashied Schneidmill.
Rashied is a multi-faceted, multi-talented and immensely unique young man. During a period in my life when I was a dad in name only, a dad who couldn’t have remotely resembled the meaning of the word “dad” if my life depended on it; Rashied grew, thrived, survived, excelled and became the wonderful young man he is today – a young man anyone (including a once-upon-a-time negligent dad) could be completely proud of.
And I most assuredly am.
Tonight (August 30, 2008), Rashied and I had a telephone conversation that only could’ve been organized, ordained and orchestrated by God.
You see after several years of being incommunicado with each other, God initiated a re-union. I’m extremely grateful to Him and can now totally and undeniably identify with the lyrics of the Ashford and Simpson classic song, “Re-united”…because it truly “feels so good.”
I’m going to do all I can from this moment on until I’m placed in a box and deposited in the earth to be a better dad to my eldest son – not because of some need for penance or to make up for lost time and squandered opportunities on my part; but because Rashied Schneidmill is flesh of my flesh, bone of my bone, blood of my blood and because I love him immeasurably.
Thank you Son for making our re-union happen.
Please trust me to keep it alive as long as I am alive.
Your dad
Copyright © Paul Schneidmill 2008 All Rights Reserved