There are only a few things that will make me emotional. For instance, when I look into my wife's eyes and see the love she has for me. Anything having to do with my fellow veterans. And any display of positive father-son relationships.

One of the things I have always loved about the Superman mythos is the relationship between Jonathan and Clark Kent. Although I don't know if the comic books have spent much time on it, the WB television series Smallville has spent four seasons showing how Clark Kent has been taught by example to be the Superman (or super man) we know he'll become. I think that the father-son relationship shown in Smallville is about the best that can be expected on television today.

This past week WB aired the 100th episode of Smallville. This episode was advertised by saying that one of the regular characters would die. From the trailers one would expect that Lana Lang was going to die. But it was Jonathan Kent who died. Those of us who know the Superman mythos have been expecting this. We know that Jonathan Kent died when Clark was in his late teens. So this death was not unexpected. But it moved me strongly.

I love my father. I can think of no better example of how a man should live his life than the example my father has lived for me. I hope that if/when I have children, I can be at least half the fatherly (and Christian) example that my father is for me. So when Jonathan Kent keeled over from a heart attack last week, I was teary-eyed. I am not looking forward to the time when the Lord calls my father heavenward (of this there is no doubt).