Yesterday was all about Dads.
And, not to begin a repeat of my Mother’s Day musings, but this year it was different, both as a daughter and the wife of a father.
I’ve never been a big card person; I find them ridiculously overpriced and, most of the time, sappy. But this year I found myself trolling the card aisle of Wal-Mart reading card after card and getting a little misty. The cards talked about admiration, love, and pride. They talked about happy memories and shared tears. And I nodded my head in agreement. Yes, these are all things I feel for my Dad. This year, I bought not one, but three cards.
Because, standing in the card aisle at Wal-Mart, I remembered my dad helping me with my math homework because he’s good at it and I’m terrible. I remembered him sitting through countless dance recitals and piano recitals and choir concerts and plays just because I might have a tiny solo or one short line or was simply up there performing. I remembered the Christmas he gave me a Les Miserables poster that he had walked through the New York City rain to get for me, just because it was my favorite show. I remembered the time during my teenage years that he came up to my room, pulled up a chair, and gently told me to stop giving my mom a hard time. I remembered how he found the safest place for me to live when I wanted to move to New York, and got my mother up there as soon as possible after September 11 because he knew I needed her.
Mostly, I thought about his relationship with Alexander. He loves that kid so much. He’s already talking about all the things he’s going to do with him: take him to the lake, go feed the ducks, give him ice cream, take him to McDonald’s for pancakes. He (and Mom) would spend all day, every day with him. Dad gives bottles, changes diapers, and makes silly voices all for Alexander.
And now, I know. I know how much he always loved me. Not just because I am a parent now, but because I see how he loves my baby. And I know that love didn’t just come from nowhere. It came from loving me and my brother our whole lives and now there is a new little life to love. It is a wonderful thing to see.
Something that definitely deserves a card.
And, not to begin a repeat of my Mother’s Day musings, but this year it was different, both as a daughter and the wife of a father.
I’ve never been a big card person; I find them ridiculously overpriced and, most of the time, sappy. But this year I found myself trolling the card aisle of Wal-Mart reading card after card and getting a little misty. The cards talked about admiration, love, and pride. They talked about happy memories and shared tears. And I nodded my head in agreement. Yes, these are all things I feel for my Dad. This year, I bought not one, but three cards.
Because, standing in the card aisle at Wal-Mart, I remembered my dad helping me with my math homework because he’s good at it and I’m terrible. I remembered him sitting through countless dance recitals and piano recitals and choir concerts and plays just because I might have a tiny solo or one short line or was simply up there performing. I remembered the Christmas he gave me a Les Miserables poster that he had walked through the New York City rain to get for me, just because it was my favorite show. I remembered the time during my teenage years that he came up to my room, pulled up a chair, and gently told me to stop giving my mom a hard time. I remembered how he found the safest place for me to live when I wanted to move to New York, and got my mother up there as soon as possible after September 11 because he knew I needed her.
Mostly, I thought about his relationship with Alexander. He loves that kid so much. He’s already talking about all the things he’s going to do with him: take him to the lake, go feed the ducks, give him ice cream, take him to McDonald’s for pancakes. He (and Mom) would spend all day, every day with him. Dad gives bottles, changes diapers, and makes silly voices all for Alexander.
And now, I know. I know how much he always loved me. Not just because I am a parent now, but because I see how he loves my baby. And I know that love didn’t just come from nowhere. It came from loving me and my brother our whole lives and now there is a new little life to love. It is a wonderful thing to see.
Something that definitely deserves a card.
