Once upon a time I felt useful.

In the days before adopting my sons, I always seemed to be needed. I was always busy with teaching, directing, and conducting, and always found time to be of service to others.

Quite often, parents of my students would call upon me to assist them in various ways. Sometimes I would pick up their children from school to bring them to my place for their lessons, watch their children while they ran a particular errand, or needed a night out.

It was fun being Uncle Darin, and not just the music teacher. The parents with whom I worked alongside in choir or band booster situations would often trade-off things with me through the years, but now all that is over.

When I began adopting my sons, my life changed, and I didn’t have as much time to do some of the things I had done before. This was a natural transition that I welcomed. Parents sensed that I was busy and did not make requests of my free time.

Now, the full-time parenting years are over, and I am still trying to find my niche in life. It’s a great feeling to be needed, and I hope I regain some of that life that I had prior to raising my sons.