My Hero

This morning started out cool and overcast, but soon the sun peaked through and coloured the day with fresh gaiety. Today is a special day for me.  It is on this day that Spring actually starts for me, because today is my dad's birthday. 

My dad was such a special person.  I can honestly say that he truly loved his children.  Everything he did, and worked for, he did with us foremost in his mind.  My dad was the most important man in my life.

I idolized him.  I believed I would grow up to be just like him one day.  I had no use for Superman or Batman, because my dad was my hero.  With my hand in his I could stand against the world.

The wonderful thing about my mom was that she always built that image of him in our eyes.  She boosted him, and never spoke negatively about him, even at the cost of her relationship with me at times, she would sing his praises.  It was only later that I realized that he, too, was human, but by then my estimate of him was firmly set in stone.

As a mother, I followed the example my mom set, and made sure that my daughters were always aware of how much their daddy loves them, and what a special man he is.  Girls need their daddies.  Their own identity, their own self-esteem, is closely connected to the relationship they have with their fathers.  It is the first relationship they form with the opposite gender, and it impacts all the future relationships they will have with men.  A father imparts a sense of security to his daughter, they feel protected and cherished in their father's love.  Girls believe their daddies can do anything, dads can slay monsters.  The safety net of a father emboldens them to fly off confidently into the world.  The relationship a girl has with her father teaches her how a woman should be treated.  It is from him that she learns how to trust other men.  Very often girls tend to marry men who are very similar to their fathers (I know I did).   The bond between a father and a daughter forms an essential part of her self-image and her happiness.  This relationship needs to be encouraged by both parents, and cherished.  It is a very unique bond, and as important as the bond between mother and daughter.

I will always remember my dad for his selfless love, the way that he made me feel special.  I remember all his little eccentricities and the way he made us laugh.  His wisdom runs through my life like a golden thread, and I can still hear his voice as he sang "O, Lord, my God".  I am so grateful that he was my daddy!  He is still my hero!  My own daughters never got to know him, but I speak of him often, sharing all the little bits of wisdom he taught me.  They are both proud to be his granddaughters.

Today I wish I could put my arms around his neck once more, and say, "Happy Birthday, Papa".

Maybe you can give YOUR dad a hug today.