Growth....

When I first saw her, I was smitten.

She was beautiful, soft, with light skin and brown eyes.

She was helpless, vulnerable.

I wanted to protect her and help her grow.

Intentionally, I opened my heart and took a risk.

It was not clear if she could or would stay with me

But as months went by our bond grew until parting

Would cause the greatest sorrow known to a man.

Years followed.  We grew closer.  We shared experiences

Sometimes they were together and sometimes they were

Apart with one as spectator and one as actor.

But always, the only thing she remembered was that I was there.

As we both grew older, we both grew

In age and love.

In silliness and in wisdom.

Sharing a love of Halloween and a hatred of plastic bottles.

But now, I had to share her. With other people, with other interests

With the passage of time and the inevitable pull of nature.

Our love was strong, but as day follows night, follows day,

We moved inexorably further and further apart.

And then, one day, it was time. She left me

Oh! Not emotionally or spiritually

But rather physically.

In that real, tangible…permanent…way that children leave their parents.

The pain was irrepressible, even though it was the most natural thing in the world.

There was no anger, no sadness, just and emptiness…

But an emptiness that was right.

Filled with the knowledge that your daughter was given wings.

11/17/2013