Dear Dad, Speaking to you today, as usual, gave me such a sense of joy and peace. Our conversations never have to be long for me to come away feeling better and knowing more. As I wished you a Happy Birthday I couldn’t help but appreciate how very blessed I am to have you as a father. This notion has been confirmed more times than I can count. As Mom would often relate to my siblings and me, ““You couldn’t have a better father…” – I wholeheartedly agree! I’ve tried throughout the years to express to you just how much you are loved and appreciated. No matter what I say, it never seems to feel as if I’ve said enough. I am your last-born child and your little girl. (Your One and Only, as you often say!) I know fathers and sons have a special bond and while I’m sure you’d never declare a favorite among us, there’s a certain satisfaction in knowing you loved me most. :-) I am a SUPREME Daddy’s Girl! No need to even deny it…I LOVE YOU! You were the prime example of a man who worked all the time and still found time to be there for my brothers and I. If we NEEDED it, you got it. When I think of the highs and lows of my life, I am beyond grateful for your guidance. Admittedly, in my younger years, I saw (when I was being punished, of course) a strict man who scared the begeezus out of me! In my 30s, you’re still the only person I have a healthy fear of. (Whew! I just had a flashback to my dirty room you told me to clean three times…ouch!) Moving on… I know I’ve disappointed you at times and it broke my heart. You’ve never made me feel unloved though. It’s always been my own fear of having our bond broken. The one time I thought that might have happened, you brought tears to my eyes while reassuring me: “You will ALWAYS have my love and support. Don’t you ever worry about anything else! – sniff, sniff… You taught me that LIFE will beat me down sometimes but it’s MY responsibility to get back up. I can still hear your voice, “Babygirl, you gotta learn to live your life right now. You can’t focus on what you can’t change. All we have is this moment and you have to live and let the rest take care of itself…” You never allowed your children to blame others for our mistakes or failures. We learned that NO ONE had power over us – except you, :-) – and that we should be proud of who we are and where we came from. How could we not, considering the example we’ve had! You provided the model for the men my brothers have become and the man I always hoped to marry. You are, and always will be, my hero! They say little girls want to marry men like their fathers. Well, I didn’t get that right the first time around. Even so, you were there with words of encouragement when that marriage dissolved. The second time around has been better than I could have imagined and the fact that you and Jesse get along so great just makes it that much sweeter! If I wasn’t already a recipient of your love, I’d be bit jealous of how much you love my husband! :-) That’s just a testament to who you are and how you love…and how others love and respect you. Growing up the daughter of the man EVERYONE around seemed to know didn’t always feel like a good thing. However, I honestly can not think of one time I ever heard anyone speak negatively about you. How can one person be so liked/loved/respected? It’s just who you are. I could write about you until my fingers bleed. That’s not a pretty picture so I’ll end this by thanking you for being the driving factor in me learning to love and accept myself. Thank you for being a God-fearing man with unwavering faith and a matter-of-fact demeanor. Thank you for being the reason I know that you can overcome anything if you BELIEVE. Thank you for showing me how to move on. Thank you for being a lesson in forgiveness. Thank you for leading a life worth being admired. Thank you for loving this daddy’s girl. Happy Birthday to the blessing that is my father. Love, Your One & Only! Your Lil Girl HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY
Posted on: Sat, 28 Sep 2013 06:05:33 +0000
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