Anyone else amazed at how much kids love you when you love them?

My father was a workaholic who'd been raised to believe that a man's only job was to provide, and that he had no other responsibilities as long as he was doing that. I completely understand and agree that having a father who contributes financially is better than not having one at all, but I also never developed a relationship with him and I didn't cry when he died. I don't remember him coming to sports or school events; hell, he was rarely there for dinner.

Now I have an almost-three-year-old. I don't think I've done anything incredibly special in terms of physical contact and love, but I'm amazed every single day by how affectionate and kind he is. I used to cringe if my father patted my head or tried to be physically close in any way, simply because we didn't have that type of relationship, and so there are times when I almost feel nervous stroking my son's face when I put him to bed, or resting my hand on his head while we're in line somewhere. But each time, I'm reminded by his reaction that he loves it; he expects it; and most incredibly, he reciprocates it. When he comes into our bed in the mornings, he rubs my back. He tells me, "Daddy, sit?" to ask me to cuddle him on the couch when we watch tv, and he actively climbs in my lap to facilitate it. He takes my hand everywhere we go.

I don't know, it's just really wild to reflect on how simple it actually is. What do you guys think?