FC Cincinnati's Corben Bone: As a new father, I appreciate every second.

Corben Bone | @CorbenBone

Show Caption Hide Caption Cheap Father's Day gifts that your dad will actually use Face it, it's hard to buy a gift that dad will actually use and enjoy. It doesn't have to be! Here are a few inexpensive suggestions that will make any person smile.

I woke up this morning at about 7 a.m. That’s my normal time these days. No need to set an alarm. It comes with the baby.

The sounds are coming from the top of our bed frame right above my head. I slowly get up just enough to see Brooks starting to rustle and make noise on the monitor.

At this point, the morning routine has already begun. I take my first steps out of bed and with one eye open navigate my way down the stairs to make a bottle.

Once the bottle is ready, back up the stairs to drop it off in our bedroom and then over to Brooks’ room.

This is the best part of my day.

I turn the door handle slowly and slightly push it open.

As soon as I enter the room his head shoots up as if witness to an unexpected intruder, but as we make eye contact his gaze turns innocent and the biggest smile in the world begins to swallow his face.

I make my way to the edge of the crib. The closer I get the bigger his smile.

I lean down to pick him up and he lifts his arms simultaneously as if to say, “Here, let me help you.”

I’m holding him now, and he’s still waking up, I can tell because he keeps rubbing his eyes and burying his face in my shoulder.

We leave his room and turn the corner to enter our bedroom.

Annie greets him with a “Hiiii,” and somehow his smile gets even bigger.

He’s reaching for her now, so I hand him over and he’s immediately smothered with even more love.

He’s laughing now. Or maybe he’s crying because he wants his bottle. It’s hard to tell sometimes. If you know, you know.

I think to myself, how did I get so lucky?

It’s about 7:27 a.m. now. I am 30 minutes into my day and it won’t get much better.

In these moments, life becomes very simple. The only ingredient required is love.

I became a father on Sept. 9, 2017, when Brooks Marcus Bone was born. My life changed in so many ways, and as I approach my first Father’s Day I feel like I am finally able to speak on what fatherhood has given me, other than a beautiful boy.

I have always been a seeker.

A person that looks to find meaning in everything, but I’m starting to ask myself why can’t we find the meaning of everything in just one thing.

Brooks has given me a certain type of perspective that has generated genuine gratitude for the greatest joys in my life.

He has opened my eyes to the luxury of time. One of my favorite quotes is, “The days are long, but the years are short,” and I didn’t realize how applicable that is to parenting until I became a parent.

Some days are longer than others, and some are longer than those, but being Brooks’ dad has helped me appreciate my time here more and more.

Whether that means fully enjoying each time I put on the FC Cincinnati jersey, or treasuring every time Brooks is in my arms.

I find myself more present than I’ve ever been.

Even more, in some strange way, he has helped me love my own father more.

By experiencing fatherhood myself, I have a newfound respect for all the sacrifice and unlimited selflessness it takes to be a father.

What an incredibly enlightening moment, to suddenly realize how much your father did for you that you aren’t aware of.

I can thank Brooks for that.

Part of the joys of being a child is the bliss that comes with it. The innocent and free spirit that exists’ in each breathe is a miracle.

I know Brooks won’t remember much from these times in his life, and I’m okay with that because one day I hope he has the same epiphany I am having right now, but still, after being alive for only 9 months he has taught me so much about finding meaning.

It doesn’t have to be everywhere. You don’t need to go searching far and wide.

Find meaning in what you love, harness it, and the rest will fall into place.

Truly, we can only wish that the depth of our time has equaled the length, and with Brooks in my arm, I will appreciate every second.