Hey! A rare moment the wifi works here in the Caribbean, or is it Lucayan Archipelago? Anyhoo... Beautiful daughter there man. Before you walk her down that aisle you'll need to beat the guys off with a stick.
Yesterday was a great fathers day. Celebrated with numerous friends (most of them Canadian and they celebrate it the same day we do), and my wife and son. My son turned 17 on Saturday, so the moment was especially bittersweet. He's growing (or trying to grow rather) a beard. His moustache is slow to come in, so he looks more like Wolverine right now, but I digress. I was telling him how proud I was of him, and how proud I was to be his father. I explained to him that kids think of life as a series of defining events. Old enough to drive, old enough to vote, to drink, graduation, etc. They think often of when they are "Grown up". For young men there is usually a defining moment that they can fondly recall for the rest of their lives. The first time you realized you were faster than your father runnning, or stronger, or better at anything that in your eyes defined what it meant to be "grown up". For me, it was when I was 16, and beat the Colonel in an arm wrestling match. It's those moments when for young men, especially, they define being ''grown up". But for fathers of sons, its not one singular event that defines that moment, but rather a series of things that continue to occur pretty much from the moment of your childs birth. The entire journey is very bittersweet. But as your child grows older those moments that cause you to choke back the tears because you're watching your child "grow up" are also moments where you are swelled with the purest pride imaginable as you see daily, the person, the adult that they are becoming. My son just sort of looked at me and said he understood; but he cannot until the day he himself becomes a father. So, I too lost a tear or four yesterday
Enjoy the ride. It is one hell of a journey, and it breaks my heart, and simultaneously fills me up with great joy, every single day. The big transition from child to adult not only occurs for your child but for you as well. The best thing to remember is that our job is not to protect them and nurture them forever, but our job is to protect and nurture them and prepare them to be the best adults, parents, and people that they can be. You will though ALWAYS be her father. And no man can take THAT role; but bacause you taught her the best that you can, you'll enable her to open her heart to another man in a different way.
Happy belated fathers day to all you dads out there! I'm gonna make another Pina Colada, and toast it to all of you!