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HER
HAIR WAS UP IN A PONYTAIL
HER
FAVORITE DRESS TIED WITH A BOW
TODAY
WAS DADDY'S DAY AT SCHOOL
AND
SHE COULDN'T WAIT TO GO
BUT
HER MOMMY TRIED TO TELL HER,
THAT
SHE PROBABLY SHOULD STAY AT HOME.
WHY
THE KIDS MIGHT NOT UNDERSTAND,
IF
SHE WENT TO SCHOOL ALONE.
BUT
SHE WAS NOT AFRAID;
SHE
KNEW JUST WHAT TO SAY.
WHAT
TO TELL HER CLASSMATES
OF
WHY HE WASN'T HERE TODAY.
BUT
STILL HER MOTHER WORRIED,
FOR
HER TO FACE THIS DAY ALONE.
AND
THAT SHE WAS WHY ONCE AGAIN,
SHE
TRIED TO KEEP HER DAUGHTER HOME.
BUT
THE LITTLE GIRL WENT TO SCHOOL,
EAGER
TO TELL THEM ALL.
ABOUT
A DAD SHE NEVER SEES
A
DAD WHO NEVER CALLS.
THERE
WERE DADDIES ALONG THE WALL IN THE BACK,
FOR
EVERYONE TO MEET.
CHILDREN
SQUIRMING IMPATIENTLY,
ANXIOUS
IN THEIR SEATS.
ONE
BY ONE THE TEACHER CALLED,
A
STUDENT FROM THE CLASS.
TO
INTRODUCE THEIR DADDY,
AS
SECONDS SLOWLY PASSED.
AT
LAST THE TEACHER CALLED HER NAME,
EVERY
CHILD TURNED TO STARE.
EACH
OF THEM WAS SEARCHING,
FOR
A MAN WHO WASN'T THERE.
"WHERE'S
HER DADDY AT?"
SHE
HEARD A BOY CALL OUT.
"SHE
PROBABLY DOESN'T HAVE ONE"
ANOTHER
STUDENT DARED TO SHOUT.
AND
FROM SOMEWHERE NEAR THE BACK,
SHE
HEARD A DADDY SAY,
"LOOKS
LIKE ANOTHER DEAD BEAT DAD,
TOO
BUSY TO WASTE HIS DAY."
THE
WORDS DID NOT OFFEND HER,
AS
SHE SMILED UP AT HER MOM.
AND
LOOKED BACK AT HER TEACHER,
WHO
TOLD HER TO GO ON.
AND
WITH HANDS BEHIND HER BACK,
SLOWLY
SHE BEGAN TO SPEAK.
AND
OUT FROM THE MOUTH OF A CHILD,
CAME
WORDS INCREDIBLY UNIQUE.
"MY
DADDY COULDN'T BE HERE,
BECAUSE
HE LIVES SO FAR AWAY.
BUT
I KNOW HE WISHES HE COULD BE,
SINCE
THIS IS SUCH A SPECIAL DAY.
AND
THOUGH YOU CANNOT MEET HIM,
I
WANTED YOU TO KNOW.
ALL
ABOUT MY DADDY,
AND
HOW HE LOVES ME SO.
HE
LOVED TO TELL ME STORIES
HE
TAUGHT ME TO RIDE MY BIKE.
HE
SURPRISED ME WITH PINK ROSES,
AND
TAUGHT ME TO FLY A KITE.
Submitted
by Karen Cunningham |
WE
USED TO SHARE FUDGE SUNDAES,
AND
ICE CREAM IN A CONE.
AND
ALTHOUGH YOU CANNOT SEE HIM,
I'M
NOT STANDING HERE ALONE.
"CAUSE
MY DADDY'S ALWAYS WITH ME,
EVEN
THOUGH WE ARE APART
I
KNOW BECAUSE HE TOLD ME
HE'LL
BE FOREVER IN MY HEART.
WITH
THAT HER LITTLE HAND REACHED UP,
AND
LAY ACROSS HER CHEST.
FEELING
HER OWN HEARTBEAT,
BENEATH
HER FAVORITE DRESS.
AND
FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE CROWD OF DADS,
HER
MOTHER STOOD IN TEARS.
PROUDLY
WATCHING HER DAUGHTER,
WHO
WAS WISE BEYOND HER YEARS.
FOR
SHE STOOD UP FOR THE LOVE
OF
A MAN NOT IN HER LIFE.
DOING
WHAT WAS BEST FOR HER
DOING
WHAT WAS RIGHT.
AND
WHEN SHE DROPPED HER HAND BACK DOWN,
STARING
STRAIGHT INTO THE CROWD,
SHE
FINISHED WITH A VOICE SO SOFT,
BUT
IT’S MESSAGE CLEAR AND LOUD.
"I
LOVE MY DADDY VERY MUCH"
HES
MY SHINING STAR.
AND
IF HE COULD HE'D BE HERE
BUT
HEAVENS JUST TO FAR.
YOU
SEE HE WAS A FIREMAN
AND
HE DIED JUST LAST YEAR
WHEN
AIRPLANES HIT THE TOWERS
AND
TAUGHT AMERICANS TO FEAR.
BUT
SOMETIMES WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES,
ITS
LIKE HE NEVER WENT AWAY.
AND
THEN SHE CLOSED HER EYES,
AND
SAW HIM THERE THAT DAY.
AND
TO HER MOTHERS AMAZEMENT,
SHE
WITNESSED WITH SURPRISE.
A
ROOM FULL OF DADDIES AND CHILDREN
ALL
STARTING TO CLOSE THEIR EYES.
WHO
KNOWS WHAT THEY SAW BEFORE THEM
WHO
KNOWS WHAT THEY FELT INSIDE.
PERHAPS
FOR MERELY A SECOND,
THEY
SAW HIM AT HER SIDE.
"I
KNOW YOU'RE WITH ME DADDY"
TO
THE SILENCE SHE CALLED OUT.
AND
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT MADE BELIEVERS
OF
THOSE ONCE FILLED WITH DOUBT.
NOT
ONE IN THE ROOM COULD EXPLAIN IT
FOR
EACH OF THEIR EYES HAD BEEN CLOSED.
BUT
THERE ON THE DESK BESIDE HER,
WAS
A FRAGRANT LONG STEMMED PINK ROSE.
AND
A CHILD WAS BLESSED. IF ONLY FOR A MOMENT,
BY
THE LOVE OF A SHINING BRIGHT STAR.
AND
GIVEN THE GIFT OF BELIEVING,
THAT
HEAVEN IS NEVER TOO FAR.
THEY
SAY IT TAKES A MINUTE TO FIND A SPECIAL PERSON, AN HOUR TO APPRECIATE
THEM, A DAY TO LOVE THEM, BUT THEN AN ENTIRE LIFE TO
FORGET
THEM.
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