Have you ever listened to a song or heard a poem, watched a movie or seen a picture and it brings up a whole bunch of emotions, memories, thoughts, and just a sense of being overwhelmed?! Well, recently this happened to me.
My husband and I were driving in the car when he decided to put on our wedding album! (super cute I know!) Anyways, we were flipping through the songs when the song "I loved her first" By: Heartland came on. This is the song I danced with my (adopted) dad at my wedding. And listening to the song I got so many emotions and thought through my head. I realized a lot of things in that moment...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDeV3GHDlgQ
(the link to the song on YouTube. Lyrical version)
The first thing that came to my mind was how I didn't have what the song talks about growing up. I never had a dad that read fairy tales to me or tucked me into bed. I never felt the love of a father growing up. I didn't have any of that and it made me so happy to know that my kids have that. They have a dad that kisses them goodnight and plays on the floor with them. He reads to them and plays games with them. He says he loves them often. Our kids run up to the door when he gets home yelling "DADDY!!" And it's so amazing to see the love a kid can have for a dad at such a young age and a dad for their child!
However, This also reminded me how although I didn't have all this has a kid growing up, I did have this has a 16-year-old and older. I had a mom and dad that wanted me. That checked on me. That spent time with me. They said "I love you" often. They were there for me when I was in treatment and a total mess. I then realized that I had never thanked my dad.
You see some girls don't have a dad at their wedding. No one to walk them down the aisle. To dance with them for the father-daughter dance. Some girls don't have that for whatever reason.. but I DID! I had a dad to walk me down the aisle. A dad to dance with me at my wedding. A dad that is now grandpa to my kids. I might not have had a dad growing up. But I had one at my wedding and I still have one in my life today. And I never once thanked him.
So I did! The moment we got home I went to my room and called my dad. I called him to tell him that I love him. That I am so grateful that he is my dad, that he is here for me, that he danced with me at my wedding. I thanked him for everything he has done for me. I also said sorry for all the wrongs I have done. He said he was proud of the women I had become and that I have no idea how much he appreciates hearing me say all that I said. I could tell that he was choked up and that It meant a lot to him to get that phone call. But what he doesn't know.. Is that it meant more to me to make that long overdue phone call!!
We have had our problems and our fights Even went through a whole year of not talking to each other. But in the end, he is my dad. He is here for me. And I was so selfish and stubborn that I didn't see it.
I didn't see that the one thing I always wanted as a kid was here the whole time as an adult! I had a dad. I had a family, My kids have a dad. They have grandparents. And I have taken it all for granted.
I am so grateful that my daughter and son have someone to call daddy. To tuck them into bed at night. To tell them that they are perfect the way they are and that He loves them more than anything in this world.
Sometimes all it takes is one song, one picture, or one memory to change how you treat others. To appreciate the things and people you have taken or do take for granted. To change you!!
MY DAD IS MY HERO
THANK YOU, DAD, FOR ALL YOU DO AND HAVE DONE!
I LOVE YOU!
