Once upon a time at least a year ago, I had a sudden inspiration about Dad's and daughters. So I wrote down a few thoughts, in article form, about my own experience and just some things I've learned. I came across it the other day, and thought perhaps it might be blog-worthy. It's nothing big, but I do hope that some of you can identify. I have an amazing dad. But even if you don't, there is a heavenly Daddy who is so much more amazing and who can offer so much more love than any earthly dad can....

              A Daddy’s   Daughter

            “No, it was mine! I had it!” With those words I would run off in anger to my bedroom and bury my head in my pillow. Soon the door would open and dad would come in, as he usually did, and wait for me to stop crying. Then he would talk to me. Though I rarely ever do this anymore, I never forgot those days. I always knew that Dad would come after me.

Then the days came when I thought I no longer needed my Daddy as much. I trotted off to my own ideas and ways of life. There came a day when my relationship with my dad was not that close. Sure, I knew he existed…. Somewhere in the house. One day he came home talking about a father-daughter thing in Virginia. He wanted to take me to it. And it scared me. I didn’t want to do this. I was fine with life the way it was. Though I didn’t voice my opinion much, I found myself going with my dad on the 3-hour drive with a couple other dads and daughters. The first night, something happened that changed almost everything. I started talking. My dad started talking. In fact, he talked more than I talked (which, by the way, is very rare.) Though it didn’t happen overnight, I began to realize that my daddy really did love me, that he was my favorite daddy, and that he cared about the decisions I made.

            I also realized how fortunate I am. I know people who search so desperately for love and attention, when in reality, all they are searching for is someone who can fill the void there Daddy never did. I hear of many people with regrets, many years of silence, all because their Daddy never said the words every daughter longs to hear: “You are beautiful, I love you, and I am proud of you.”

            That boosts a daughters way of how she not only views herself, but how she views life in general.

              Speaking from a daughter’s perspective, girls also long for loving physical touch. Not abusive mind you, but they long for a dad who does not shy away from giving their daughter a hug now and then, or a kiss on the forehead. (Though I will admit sometimes us daughters are reluctant to do either.) As my relationship with my dad has grown, I’ve found out that we don’t always agree and no, we don’t always get along. But because he takes time to listen to what I have to say, I feel free to ask him for advice on almost anything. Although he rarely ever uses gushy words or little sweet statements, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my dad loves me. It is the time he takes with me, and the deep relationship he has with Jesus that I respect my daddy for. Of course he’s not perfect, but because he loves the heavenly Father, he has become a great example to me of an earthly father. 

 Daughters yearn for love. We always will. So this is my message to dad’s: “Daughters need to know. They need to know that their Daddy loves them!”