There comes a time in most every girl’s life when she realizes the first man she ever fell in love with was her father. And for the rest of her life, that girl will compare all relationships with that first, all important, one. Every man that enters a girls life will have to measure up to her father’s expectations…. even if they are bad ones (which explains some of the more insane relationships women find themselves stuck in). A girl’s father teaches her… through his actions, compassion, love, words…. how she should be treated by other men.
I am one lucky girl. My father is one of the most compassionate men I’ve ever known. He loves unconditionally. He not only speaks words of love but he also shows it with embraces, gestures, and other kind actions.
Throughout my life I was unfortunate enough (or to be more correct, just made some really dumb choices) to have been a part of some pretty bad relationships. I didn’t take the time to think through the decisions which established each of those relationships… I didn’t take the time to look for the warnings and back away. But that’s okay. My father also taught me that I’m strong enough to get out of any bad situation and survive it. He taught me that no matter what mess I manage to get myself in to, he’ll be there waiting for me to come out on the other side… he might even help me wipe the muck off and give me a spring board to start over from.
He’s pretty cool like that.
So, next in most every girl’s life comes the time when she realizes that her father won’t always be here. That’s a shitty sort of realization.
In the end, I guess what I want to say is that it would be nice if, from the moment we take our first breath, we all knew how incredibly important it is to honor our fathers (and our mothers too) in everything we do, say, and become. I think it’s a shame that some of the more profound lessons in life aren’t realized until it’s too late.
What’s that old saying? If only I knew then what I know now….
