Rebuilding Rob

As WordPress continues to recycle old prompts, I pulled another prompt from The Coffee Monsterz Co to respond to today

What emotion do you find the most challenging?

I recently read a study suggesting there aren’t just six basic human emotions, but actually 27. When you expand the list like that, my answer is easy: Anxiety.

Fortunately, I’ve learned to head my anxiety off at the pass. But this week, anxiety wasn’t something to be “cured”—it was the fuel I needed to get 450 miles down the road.

The Adrenaline Segment

Thursday morning, I got the text: Kid 1 had a seizure at school and was in the hospital. I immediately left work, packed a bag, and hit the road for Madison.

As a parent, that news hits like a physical blow. For the first few hours of the drive, the adrenaline was buzzing—that nervous energy that makes you stop for a bathroom break every hour. But somewhere around the Indiana border, I slipped into “Driving Mode.” The stops ceased. The speed increased. I had spoken to him and knew he was stable, but the drive became a singular focus: Get there.

Inherited Strength

The seizure was likely induced by a lack of sleep—multiple all-nighters in a row. He might have inherited a touch of chronic insomnia from his mother, but he also has a stubbornness that I recognize all too well.

Last fall was a meat grinder for him. He was lonely and homesick, but he’s fighting back. He’s seen a counselor and is managing a heavy workload at a school that doesn’t offer many “Plan Bs.” Even though his mom and I tell him it’s okay if things change, he’s determined to make it work. He’s building his own grit, one day at a time.

The Legacy of Showing Up

Dropping everything to be here felt right. It felt necessary. With the anniversary of my father’s death just two days ago, he has been heavy on my mind. When I got that text, I went straight into “Papa Bear” mode.

I thought about how, when X1 and I first separated, my “Old Man” drove from Michigan down to South Carolina just to make sure I didn’t have to face that long, emotional drive back alone. He didn’t just offer support over the phone; he showed up.

I love being a father. I love trying to be the kind of man to my boys that my father was to me. These are the people I’ve created; they are my world. The stakes feel higher now—this was a legitimate medical scare, and he was alone. I know he was relieved when his mom arrived Friday, but I know he was sincerely happy to see me standing there on Thursday night.

I’m just following the blueprint my father left behind.

Thanks for stopping by Rebuilding Rob. Be sure to like 👍, comment, and subscribe below. It’s greatly appreciated! Also, feel free to follow me on social media and check out my recent posts!

• The Art of the Reception
• The one where I still don’t get it, part two
• The Old Man’s Blueprint
• Rob Reviews: Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, episode 5 “Series Acclimation Mil”
• The One Where I Still Don’t Get It

AI art created with Google Gemini.

The article “The Old Man’s Blueprint” first appeared on Rebuilding Rob.