I have a daughter. She is a dreamer.
I never knew having a daughter could stir up so many emotions in my heart. Yes, she is a dreamer. She’s 8 and always saying things like … “when I grow up Mom I want to be a …” And all I can think of is — Don’t grow up. You are perfect just the way you are.
I want to hold her and kiss her gently on her head and tell her all the things I want for her. But then I stop. I stop because I don’t want her to grow up. I want her to sit with me a while more, snuggling into the crook of my arm. I want to sing with her and be silly with her. I want to hold her hand and feel the warmth and the softness of her 8 year old hand in mine. I want to lay beside her at night, reading her Charlotte’s Web and smelling her freshly washed hair on the pillow beside my face. She is beautiful and smart and carefree. She is every bit as beautiful as I could have imagined a daughter to be. When I look into her eyes I see her Dad and I see me. Oh, how I love those eyes. When she looks at me she sees me for who I am. She sees my flaws. She sees my imperfections. She sees all the things that I am so afraid to show other people. And yet, she loves me. Her heart is so big that despite all my imperfections, flaws and rough edges, she loves me beyond measure. And I her.
And, so I sit here not wanting to see her grow — afraid that the world will squash down that love, that carefree spirit, that dreamer inside of her. I want to teach her so much. I want to teach her about love and kindness, friendship and faith. There are so many things I want to teach her. I want to teach her to shut the world out, but then I stop. This girl is a dreamer.
The world needs her. I need her. She needs to teach the world. She needs to teach me.
So I sit here holding her hand, smelling her hair and wondering how God has blessed me with such an incredible human being. And all I can think of is — you are perfect just the way you are, my daughter. Dream on little girl.
The world is waiting for you … and me? I will be right here holding your hand along the way. Because I know, looking at you, dreams do come true.
