You Don’t Need a Father to Be Successful in Life

Despite what the media says about broken families

Photo by Noah Silliman on Unsplash

You’ve heard teachers, the media, politicians, and everyone in-between talk about how broken families are an essential factor in crime and addiction, and that having a father figure in your life can give you the foundation you need to succeed. While there may be some underlying elements of truth there, the idea that no father equals a fast-track to crime and drug abuse is like saying playing video games means you’re destined to be a mass shooter.

I’ve achieved a great deal in my life because I didn’t have a father. I’ve never been to prison or experimented with drugs, and I’m set to retire by age 55. That’s not to brag, but it’s a pretty good life — a far cry from what people told me I would be able to achieve because of who wasn’t in my life.

My father walked away from his responsibilities when I was two weeks old. All my childhood, I wondered where he was, what he was like.

The stories that Star-Lord makes up in Guardians of the Galaxy are relatable.

I was born in ’82, so pretty much everything Peter Quill said…yeah. My dad was perpetually “off shooting Night Rider.” There was even a moment after I watched Dolph Lungren’s…