The birth of my first child, after the maelstrom passed, was a deliverance. It brought me closer to my real self. I have learned how to surrender when I need to. I am learning to live in the rhythm of other lives; I have learned to share my life.

A well-loved child is set a challenging precedent. By its very nature, parental love works to conceal the effort which went into generating it. It shields the recipient from the donor’s complexity and sadness—and from an awareness of how many other interests, friends, and concerns the parent has sacrificed in the name of love. With infinite

J’ai longtemps pensé que devenir père signifierait devoir renoncer à mes rêves. J’avais fini par m’en persuader. Mais j’avais tort. En vérité, je craignais de ne pas être à la hauteur. Être parent est le plus grand des défis.