Ricky Martin has a new interview in Parade Magazine, and it’s kind of inspiring how happy and enthusiastic he is at this stage in his life. Martin, 39, became the father to twin boys born via surrogate in August, 2008. He introduced his twins to the world when they were four months old, and admitted at the time that he was raising them alone without the help of even a nanny. Then in March of last year, Ricky came out of the closet as gay to the surprise of just about no one. He subsequently put out a memoir and is about to release a new album and embark on a world tour. Ricky tells Parade that he “can’t wait” to be back on stage and he also gushes about his kids, saying he knows it’s a cliche to be such a proud dad but he can’t help it!

The best thing about Ricky.
“My children. I can’t deny that. A lot of people say, ‘Wow, you’re a single father of twin boys, that’s crazy!’ Two toddlers can get hectic, but I wouldn’t change it for anything. Every day they teach me different things. The love is there. When you have a two-year-old saying every other hour, ‘Papi, te amo. Papi, I love you,’ it can’t get better.”

What fatherhood has taught him.
“Heavy lessons about simplicity and unconditional love. I don’t want to sound cliche, another father talking about unconditional love, but man, that’s the way it is. You hear it all the time, but when you feel this other branch of love getting stronger and stronger every day, it’s just amazing.”

His kids are budding musicians.
“It’s incredible. And it’s not that I’m forcing it on them. The other day I took them to a toy store and they went straight to this tiny piano. And I’m like, ‘Look at the robot!’ But no, it was the piano. Both of them. So it’s very beautiful.”

On being a voice in the gay community.
“There’s no pressure from anybody. It’s something I feel really good about doing. I have been an activist for human rights for many years. Today, I’m in touch with who I am and I have the opportunity to be in front of a camera and talk to millions of people. After I wrote the book and went on Oprah Winfrey, so many people have come to me, telling me, ‘Ricky, thank you because I understand what acceptance is today.’ ‘Ricky, thank you. I feel better about myself because you have a very beautiful family and the words ‘dysfunctional family’ don’t exist in your life.'”

His message has impacted a new generation.
“The other day, I was in a store and there was this 13-year-old child who he told me, ‘Ricky, you and me, we are the same! You like boys. Well, you know what? Me too! And this is my mom and she’s happy with me today.’ Are you kidding me? I had to give him a hug and I had to give his mother a hug because unfortunately — because of society or faith — parents struggle. It’s all about love.”

[From Parade]

What a happy, grounded guy Ricky is. I love that story about how the gay teen came up to him and Ricky gave him and his mom a hug! Ricky is slated to star on Broadway in 2012 as Che Guevara in Evita. He may not have had help with his kids when they were born, but I hope he’s got a nanny now. With that busy work schedule, he’s going to need one.

Here’s Ricky at a Bulgari event on 1/13/11. He’s a candidate for HGF for sure. Credit: Fame