My child you have been given me the greatest gift in life by being a father for I have:

Heard the words the Doctor said that night so long ago: “Sir you are the father of a little baby girl you can see her now if you like.”

Held that little bundle of wrinkles and redness and felt a surge of love and protection fiercer then anything in this world.

Felt your strength for the future the first time you squeezed my finger in your little hands and though they tried to tell me it was gas we both know it was you smiling at your Dad.

I heard your first word and saw you take those first few stumbling steps from couch to chair to my arms.

Sat by your bedside and comforted you through all those childhood illnesses, keeping tears bottled up inside so as not to make you cry.

Watch you play with fuzzy toys, little ponies, dolls, bikes and roller skates and pulled my hair out putting those “assembly required” ones together.

Swimming, biking, camping, and to all the things little girls love so much to do with their Dads when they are growing up.

Reading you a thousand bed time stories, tucking you in and giving one last bedtime kiss as I smiled down on the perfect beauty that was you.

Reading the essay you did for your school class about me that brought tears to my eyes then as it still does when I read the framed copy of it I still keep on my wall.

Looking firm and trying to be serious when you brought your first boyfriend to meet your Dad because if I didn’t approve you didn’t want him anyway.

Writing poem and songs enough to fill a book all of your own if they were ever amassed all together.

Standing tall and bursting with pride as I watched you succeed in school and received your different diplomas.

Walking down that longest aisle to offer your arm to the man you chose to love as your husband.

Those memories are the greatest Father’s day gift in the world.