A Strange Contradiction

Of all the many conflicting, contradictory things parenthood brings with it, perhaps the strangest to me is the totally opposite but simultaneous feelings of strength and manliness, and utter weakness and softness. 

Right now I'm listening to Ben Folds Five's Brick and I'm barely able to contain myself from bawling my eyes out.  I frequently do let a few tears slip to commercials, songs, movies and touching moments I witness in person if they contain anything even remotely about a child suffering or a parent's love, no matter how sappy or contrived to extract that exact emotional response it may be.  I can't help it (and damn those advertisers who know it!).

Contrarily, when I'm out with my children I feel like the manliest of men.  It may have something to do with the fact that many places I take them I am, if not the only, one of the very few men around (the life of a stay-at-home dad in a stay-at-home mom's world), but I think it's really due to an instinctual protectiveness.  I'd like to insert some awesome simile here comparing me with a fierce natural fatherly protector, but all the really good ones are female.  A mother bear, a lioness, etc.  Seriously nature, get on that.  All I've got is this guy:

Happy Father's DaAAAAARGH!  It's like that scene in Alien!

It's a strange contradiction: feeling like you'd rip the head off of anyone who even thought about looking at your child the wrong way, but knowing that at any moment a song could come on the radio that will have you reaching for the tissues.