There’s a special bond between father and daughter.
I not only believe it, I lived it.
Ever since I was a little girl, the bond with my dad was the most special thing in my life. As every little girl my dad was my hero. There wasn’t anything my dad couldn’t do. Superman? Move over…my dad is even stronger than you.
Everything my heart desired I had.
I remember I had a classmate at school. I was about 8 years old. Her parents were getting a divorce. So he father tried to make it up to her by buying her all of the “Hello Kitty” things she wanted.
I would get home from school and immediately call my dad. I would describe him what new item my friend had taken to school that day. From the color of the cap of the tiny little marker to the eraser that had “Hello Kitty” plastered on it. It didn’t take more than an hour for the company’s messenger to ring the bell to my house and give my days present.
This went on for the entire school year.
I had the most loving father anyone could ask for. I got all the hugs and kisses that I wanted and more. I remember how his eyes lit every time I would go into a room. Even if he had seen me 5 minutes ago. The light was always there.
My teen age years were as normal as any teen ager. You get embarrassed with stupid things like when your parents kiss you in public. However I was embarrassed of my dad for a much bigger reason. He was an alcoholic. Not the type that you find on a bench at the park. The type that was a successful business man that provided good for his family. The type that was a workaholic.
All of a sudden the hero form just a few years before becomes your life’s biggest concern.
However his love and kind nature never disappeared. He continued to be the most loving father anyone could have. So much so he became the patriarch of our family. My cousins, my nieces, even some of my friends would come to him for any type of advice. He was adored by everyone.
He finally went into treatment and stopped drinking. And our relationship bloomed.
He became my best friend. My dad was actually my best friend.
There was no topic of conversation that we couldn’t talk about.
And not only that, I actually enjoyed talking to him and getting his views on things that were happening in my life.
My dad and I had our special ritual. We had “our night out”. Every Thursday I would pick him up at the office, being the workaholic he was; his Thursday agenda had nothing after 7pm. except me.
We would go out to dinner, and then we would go bar hopping.
I had my first drink with my dad. He taught me how I should never get drunk and how a woman lost all of her femininity when she did. At first my guy friends couldn’t believe my dad had to “babysit me” or “control me” to the point of following me to bars. I was 20 years old. How absurd was that? When I explained that we were out partying together they started to get to know him more. They loved him.
Everyone was welcome at my house. And everyone had to meet my parents. And everyone agreed they were great.
He was my biggest supporter in everything I did. As long as I was happy. He always told me I could do anything.
He taught me the value of “my word”. He always said no written contract was as valuable as giving your word and keeping it.
He was a gentleman.
He taught me how to work. How to be proud of my accomplishments and celebrate them
He also taught me that I was a privileged human being, and therefore was never to consider myself “more or less than anyone else”. We were all equal human beings.
He was my best friend. He was my world. He was my favorite clown. Every day he would wake me up with a new joke. And always made me laugh. He was my hero again.
He passed away 6 years ago. A day doesn’t go by that I don’t think of him. However our bond was so strong that it has kept on going even after his passing. I still have my regular visits with him in my dreams. I talk to him almost every day, and deep down in my heart I can hear him answer.
I am now a parent myself and unfortunately he didn’t get to meet his granddaughter. However she is so much like him in many ways.
I think I turned out ok. I was blessed. My mom is now my best friend. My relationship with her has grown. I still miss my dad. But now instead of sharing a tear every time I think of him, I try to remember those wonderful lessons he taught me so that I can pass them on to my daughter, and can only hope that my baby one day considers me her best friend.
For you dads out there, the best advice I can give you is to become your children’s best friend. Your relationship will be great and almost guaranteed that they will follow your good advice.
For you daughters our there, who still have the privilege and blessing of having your dads, give them a chance. Get to know them. Listen to their advice. These are the people that love you more than anyone in the world. They will never advice you on anything that could harm you. These are the people that would actually die for you if they had to.
I not only believe it, I lived it.
Ever since I was a little girl, the bond with my dad was the most special thing in my life. As every little girl my dad was my hero. There wasn’t anything my dad couldn’t do. Superman? Move over…my dad is even stronger than you.
Everything my heart desired I had.
I remember I had a classmate at school. I was about 8 years old. Her parents were getting a divorce. So he father tried to make it up to her by buying her all of the “Hello Kitty” things she wanted.
I would get home from school and immediately call my dad. I would describe him what new item my friend had taken to school that day. From the color of the cap of the tiny little marker to the eraser that had “Hello Kitty” plastered on it. It didn’t take more than an hour for the company’s messenger to ring the bell to my house and give my days present.
This went on for the entire school year.
I had the most loving father anyone could ask for. I got all the hugs and kisses that I wanted and more. I remember how his eyes lit every time I would go into a room. Even if he had seen me 5 minutes ago. The light was always there.
My teen age years were as normal as any teen ager. You get embarrassed with stupid things like when your parents kiss you in public. However I was embarrassed of my dad for a much bigger reason. He was an alcoholic. Not the type that you find on a bench at the park. The type that was a successful business man that provided good for his family. The type that was a workaholic.
All of a sudden the hero form just a few years before becomes your life’s biggest concern.
However his love and kind nature never disappeared. He continued to be the most loving father anyone could have. So much so he became the patriarch of our family. My cousins, my nieces, even some of my friends would come to him for any type of advice. He was adored by everyone.
He finally went into treatment and stopped drinking. And our relationship bloomed.
He became my best friend. My dad was actually my best friend.
There was no topic of conversation that we couldn’t talk about.
And not only that, I actually enjoyed talking to him and getting his views on things that were happening in my life.
My dad and I had our special ritual. We had “our night out”. Every Thursday I would pick him up at the office, being the workaholic he was; his Thursday agenda had nothing after 7pm. except me.
We would go out to dinner, and then we would go bar hopping.
I had my first drink with my dad. He taught me how I should never get drunk and how a woman lost all of her femininity when she did. At first my guy friends couldn’t believe my dad had to “babysit me” or “control me” to the point of following me to bars. I was 20 years old. How absurd was that? When I explained that we were out partying together they started to get to know him more. They loved him.
Everyone was welcome at my house. And everyone had to meet my parents. And everyone agreed they were great.
He was my biggest supporter in everything I did. As long as I was happy. He always told me I could do anything.
He taught me the value of “my word”. He always said no written contract was as valuable as giving your word and keeping it.
He was a gentleman.
He taught me how to work. How to be proud of my accomplishments and celebrate them
He also taught me that I was a privileged human being, and therefore was never to consider myself “more or less than anyone else”. We were all equal human beings.
He was my best friend. He was my world. He was my favorite clown. Every day he would wake me up with a new joke. And always made me laugh. He was my hero again.
He passed away 6 years ago. A day doesn’t go by that I don’t think of him. However our bond was so strong that it has kept on going even after his passing. I still have my regular visits with him in my dreams. I talk to him almost every day, and deep down in my heart I can hear him answer.
I am now a parent myself and unfortunately he didn’t get to meet his granddaughter. However she is so much like him in many ways.
I think I turned out ok. I was blessed. My mom is now my best friend. My relationship with her has grown. I still miss my dad. But now instead of sharing a tear every time I think of him, I try to remember those wonderful lessons he taught me so that I can pass them on to my daughter, and can only hope that my baby one day considers me her best friend.
For you dads out there, the best advice I can give you is to become your children’s best friend. Your relationship will be great and almost guaranteed that they will follow your good advice.
For you daughters our there, who still have the privilege and blessing of having your dads, give them a chance. Get to know them. Listen to their advice. These are the people that love you more than anyone in the world. They will never advice you on anything that could harm you. These are the people that would actually die for you if they had to.
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