I am 53-year-old woman, I have been married to the same man for 32 years, I have spent the last 26 years raising four children, but — my father is still “Daddy” to me.  This got me thinking.

We daughters have a special relationship with our dads.  We let them get away with stuff we would never accept from anyone else.  We laugh uncontrollably at jokes we have heard a thousand times. We just can’t stay mad at them. — We laugh off their failings. No praise is more appreciated than praise that comes from your dad.

My dad recently found out he was sick — serious sick. We waited two weeks for all the testing to be done so that the doctors could map out a plan.  I was worried sick.  I started thinking about the things that are special to me and my dad.  I have always been his best audience — nobody thinks he is funnier than me.  When I was in my teens we made audio tape stories about the family — we thought them hilarious — no one else did. I got to ride shotgun in the ice cream truck he drove to make extra money in the summer. He used to pretend to be Superman and only I could go flying with him at night — we tortured my poor brother with stories of late night Carvel and carnival rides. My kids think he is the “coolest” grandpa! On my wedding day right before he walked me down the aisle he told me we could run out the back door if I wasn’t sure. On my fortieth birthday my dad wrote me a letter telling me how proud of me he was. The letter meant the world to me–to this day, I can’t read it without crying.

We got word yesterday that with treatment my dad’s disease could be kept under control. There was hope for life to go back to normal– we dodged a bullet. So, “Daddy’s Little Girl” breathed a little easier and is taking stock, making sure to remember not to take life for granted.

“We have only this moment, sparkling like a star in our hand…and melting like a snowflake.  Let us use it before it is too late.” — Marie Beynon Ray– Daddy, I’m not sure you have ever read or will ever read my blog — in case you do, I want you to know that you will always be my “Superman”.  I love you!