I love every minute of fatherhood, staying up all night, changing

In the words of Elton John, “I love every minute of fatherhood, staying up all night, changing nappies, kids crying, I find it really funny and inspiring. It connects you to the world in a new way,” we hear not merely a confession of affection but the voice of a man reborn through the sacred duty of care. In these words lies an ancient truth: that love which demands patience is the purest, and that the act of nurturing life transforms the soul. The sleepless nights, the cries of an infant, the humble tasks that seem mundane — these are the crucibles through which one’s heart is forged anew. They strip away vanity and awaken the eternal bond between mortal and cosmos.

In the days of old, the sages spoke of such rebirth not through war or conquest, but through service and sacrifice. For when a man bends to cradle his child, he becomes both mighty and meek; he stands at once as protector and servant. Elton John, long celebrated for the grandeur of his music and fame, here reveals a deeper music — the melody of fatherhood — where every note is written in tenderness. This connection to the world he speaks of is not through the stage or the crowd, but through the fragile laughter of a child, the living echo of life itself.

Consider the tale of Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor and philosopher. Amidst the burdens of empire, he found time to write letters of love and wisdom to his son, Commodus. Though his reign was filled with the storms of duty, he saw in fatherhood a lesson greater than governance. “Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be,” he wrote, “Be one.” And so, the emperor’s greatest empire was not of marble or army, but of virtue — the quiet realm of the heart that learns to guide, to forgive, to endure. Such is the spirit Elton John touches upon: that in caring for another, one discovers the full expanse of the human soul.

Fatherhood — or the act of raising, protecting, and nurturing any living being — is the mirror of creation itself. It is through love and laughter, patience and persistence, that the veil between self and world is lifted. The cries of a newborn remind us of our shared fragility; the sleepless nights remind us that the flame of love demands tending. And yet, those who endure these trials emerge with eyes more open, hearts more awake. For the world, once distant, becomes intimate — every sound, every scent, every dawn now tied to the rhythm of a child’s breath.

Let no one think this path is easy. To find humor in exhaustion, to find inspiration in chaos, is to master a divine art. The ancients would call it metanoia — the transformation of spirit. Just as the blacksmith tempers iron in fire, so too does the heart find its strength in the heat of selfless love. Elton John’s laughter amid the cries of his children is not denial but triumph — the laughter of one who has found joy within duty, who has turned the ordinary into the sacred.

From this wisdom flows a lesson: do not flee from the weight of care. Whether you are a parent, a mentor, or a friend, embrace the call to give of yourself. To love without measure, to find wonder in the weary hours, is to walk the path of the enlightened. Each act of compassion — each night spent in vigil, each tear wiped away — becomes a thread in the great tapestry of connection that binds all souls.

And so, dear listener, when the world grows heavy, when your labors seem endless, remember the music hidden within them. Laugh amid the crying, love amid the fatigue, and you too will find yourself connected to the world in a new way. For in the end, the measure of a life well lived is not how much we have conquered, but how deeply we have cared. To live in service of love is to stand shoulder to shoulder with the ancients — the wise, the humble, the eternal.