A daughter's poem to her father

Recent father-daughter date night.

Our kids love, love, LOVE to steal our sticky Post-It Notes from our work desk. It doesn't matter how well we hide them, they always seem to find and abscond with them. Tucked behind a pile of papers? Behind books on the bookshelf? On top of the desk out of sight and reach? Yep. Found it. Been there and stole them. Those rascals! It's become a game to them...not so much for us. So now we've just taken to just purchasing an extra stack of sticky notes when we need to restock the office supplies. Problem solved.

Except for notes stuck all over the house labeling what belongs to them, what not to move, smiley faces to bring cheer, scribbles to designate secret spots, what-have-you. Guess they've taken after their mummy - which is a good thing - who leaves little love notes tucked around the house for me to find and get a warm heart over. I love it.

Anyway, a few days ago our daughter - who is REALLY into spelling and reading right now - pulled out her stack of sticky notes and proceeded to scribble away, hiding from all prying eyes what she was writing. Until she delivered me a note - a love poem from her to me. In her words it was

'Words about you that I love. There's WAAAY more than this. These are just my favorites.'

I...was moved to tears. and I could see in her gleaming eyes and facial expressions - as she watched me, searched my face and body language for my reaction - the excitement and knowledge and warmth that her Papa loves her deeply. It was incredibly moving for us both. So without further ado, Finn's poem to me:

Papa:

Joking.

Reeding.

Silly.

Helpful.

Loving.

Happy.

Papa.

Love, Finn.

I do believe I'll be keeping this note for all of my lifetime...

Hamming it up on the ice.

Bright eyes.

For the love of our children...

I wish I could prepare my children for every possible thing ("I wonder if they can hear the uncertainty in my voice?")...but that's unrealistic. So I, too, take them by their hand and teach them the best I can and say to be strong, and smart, and aware. Be aware of yourself and your feelings and the feelings of others. Be aware of the world around you. Be aware of how life flows sometimes in tiny rivulets and other times as a rushing tidal wave, but always with a rhythm. Be aware of social constructions and cultures and worldviews and your own biases and preconceived notions and how those fit into the world around you. Be aware of the duality (multiplicity!) of standards for rich and poor, white and black, liberal and conservative, old and young. Be aware.

I will teach you all I know and all I can. 

But it won't be enough. My heart feels heavy. Because I know I won't be able to teach you everything you need to know to avoid pain and suffering in this world. That you'll be stung, and tumbled and ragged at times in this life. But I take heart in knowing that you will become who you are destined to be in part because of those experiences with hurt and pain and with the things I am unable to teach you. And so I am buoyed, held afloat with hope and knowledge that what I can teach you WILL be enough. Enough for you to take your experiences and life lessons - mixed with some of my instruction and guidance - and blend them and knead them into a marvelous recipe that will be the perfect complement to life's cornucopia, the salve that soothes the sting, the well-designed plans for the battles that inevitably lie ahead.

I am so filled with joy and love and emotion just in knowing you. Thank you for letting me be your parent and teacher and confidente and trenchmate in life.

Love,
Your Papa, Jeremiah