From Dad
“My heart walks with you and holds you even when my arms cannot. You have given me so many reasons to be proud. Take pride in how far you've come and have faith in how far you can go. You'll always be my little girl.”
“I thought of you today for no reason at all, and it made me smile. That happens more than you know, usually at the grocery store or in the car.”
“From the moment you arrived, my life changed in the most beautiful way. I may not always say it, but you mean the world to me. Always keep me in your heart, for you are always in mine, yesterday, today, and forever.”
“When you were little, you helped me bake your birthday cake and ate half the frosting. It was lopsided, it was perfect, and I still think about it every year.”
“Hang your pictures, water your plants and lock the door at night. That is all the advice I have, except that you can always call home.”
“I read you a lot of bedtime stories that ended with happily ever after. Today I get to watch yours begin, and it is better than any of them.”
“There will be easy years and hard ones, and both are part of the story. Through all of them, hold on to each other and do not let go.”
“I've given you roots to keep you grounded in love and values. Now spread your wings and soar. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and more capable than you know.”
“The house never feels quite like Christmas until you walk through the door. Then the lights look brighter, the food tastes better, and everything feels right.”
“I know you check the forecast for a snow day just as hard as your students. I hope you get one, and I hope you spend it in your pajamas.”
“I miss the nights of hot cocoa and the same old Christmas movies. Wherever you are this year, I hope you make a cup and think of me.”
“Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. You believed you could, so you did. Be proud of the work you've done, the person you've become, and the difference you will make. I will always believe in you.”
“As this year ends, I find myself thinking about how far you have come. You worked hard, you stayed kind, and you never stopped growing.”
“Distance means so little when someone means so much. I may not carry you in my arms anymore. But I will always carry you in my heart, even when my arms cannot.”
“I know about the long shifts and the hard days you do not always talk about. You carry so much for other people, and you do it with so much grace.”
“I'm not perfect. I'll make mistakes, say the wrong things, and sometimes let you down. But you'll never find anyone who loves you as much as I do. I'm sorry for the times I hurt you.”
“I hope you believe in yourself as much as I believe in you. Wherever your journey in life may take you, always be brave and strong. Just know that when life gets tough, your dad will always have your back.”
“I have bought you years of bad presents and you thanked me for all of them. This one took me longer than all of those put together, which is not saying much.”
“I blinked, and the little kid who followed me everywhere became a grown woman. I miss that kid sometimes, but I like the person she grew into even more.”
“There is no birthday today and no holiday. I checked the calendar twice. I just wanted you to have something that says what I do not say enough.”
“I am an old man now and I would still stand in front of anyone who came at you. You have not needed that for a long time, and I have not put it down.”
“The day you told me you wanted to be a nurse, I knew you meant it. Through every exam and every clinical shift, you proved it over and over.”
“You let go of my hand on the walk to school one morning and never took it back. I remember the corner. I do not think you remember the morning at all.”
“You have someone new to call when things go wrong, and that is how it should be. But if you ever need your old dad, I will still pick up on the first ring.”