I Have Loved You

His darling daughter was soft and lovely and delicately strong. Her eyes gleamed like the stars, and her skin glowed like a sunrise. Her hips curved gently but were never too proud to allow a child’s arms to wrap around them. Her tender hands were never too vain to help a stranger up. Her voice was never too arrogant to murmur a kind word.

He adored his daughter more than anything on this earth and provided everything she needed to flourish. He saw her stumbles, her struggles, her moments of unkindness, and though his heart ached for her, he did not force her hand. He allowed her to rise to her feet, to learn and grow. When she succeeded, he rejoiced with her. When she failed, he was there with a gentle word of encouragement and a helping hand to guide her back to her path.

He could always see ahead of her, knew before she did that a seemingly wonderful new friend had spiteful intentions, knew before her that the sweet boy next door wanted something she would never give. He gave advice when asked, a nudge in the right direction, but never forced, never took what was hers.

When she was young, she trusted him completely, relying on his silent work in the people and events that shaped her life. Of course, there were times she disobeyed him, and those were hard for them both. But he never ceased being there for her, even in these moments of disobedience. He watched with a heart full of devotion, confident that in time, she would understand.

As she got older, these rebellious moments grew more and more frequent. There came a point where she noted his advice and turned away, shutting him out of her life and purposely choosing the opposite path. He shed his tears but allowed her to make her decisions. Even as she walked further and further into the darkness, his commitment to her never wavered, never faltered.

When at last there came a time where she could not see, he was already there beside her. And as she cried and questioned and sobbed, he and his constancy were there. He was not far away—had never been. He’d always been near, waiting for her to only turn and see him walking by her side.

And when she finally swore to never walk that horrible path again, to repent of her wrongdoings, he joyfully welcomed her back into his home. For a while, everything was perfect.

But of course, she all too soon grew up. He trusted her fully, never doubting that she would become the woman she was always meant to be—strong, compassionate, and cherished by all who knew her. He would always be proud to call himself her father. That didn’t make it any easier, though. The pair cried when she left, and he smiled at her as she drove away, eager to try her hand at the world.

His commitment to his dear daughter never faltered. It was there as she whispered his name in the dark, lonely in her empty room. It was there as she tried her hand at romance, disappointed to find that at her age boys were not yet turned to men. It was there as she laughed with her friends and danced at parties. It was there as she failed her first test and passed her second. His support never left her side, steady and constant, through every joy and hardship.

His wonderful, lovely daughter grew into a fiercely precious woman. Her body was no longer unmarked and pure but now mapped the joys and sorrows of her life—like the faintest scar on her knee from when she tripped in the yard as a child, or the lines that told of endless laughter. She was timelessly beautiful and delicately feminine. She was still kind and optimistic, but now had a wise edge to her, gifted by time and past mistakes. No matter how tall she grew—her head now well past his shoulders—she still clung to him just as tightly as she had when she was young. She was never truly far from his heart, even when she was walking her own path.

She had carved out a pocket of the world and claimed it as her own. She experienced joy and the tears that come only with delirious laughter. But she also experienced loss—real loss. Her tears sometimes seemed never-ending, but still, his presence was there to hold her as her body shook with sorrow and grief.

As she grew, she met more people and made more friends. It wasn’t unusual for her to call him with a dreamy smile and a hopelessly romantic story about a boy.

But one day, she met a man. The man was kind and sweet and oh so dashing, she told him. He laughed and asked to meet this man, secretly hoping that this man wouldn’t hurt his darling little girl.

As it turns out, the man was “the one.” The pair were married, and of course, his steady presence was there to guide her to the altar where her partner awaited. Though it was bittersweet, he was content, knowing she was cherished by one who would protect her wholly.

Years passed, and his daughter brought a new life into this world—a beautiful little granddaughter. He watched as she and her devoted husband rocked and crooned to the precious little life, recalling how he had once done the same with her. He couldn’t hold back a pleased smile, even as a tear glittered in his eye. Her husband was truly a good man, and he watched as the new parent guided his tiny little daughter, allowing her tiny little hands to cling to his while she took her first steps, babbled her first words, and ate her very first crumbs of birthday cake.

His daughter was happy, her days filled with rays of sunshine and joyful laughter. Like anyone, she had her moments of frustration, days where the sun couldn’t set soon enough and the shadows stretched ever longer. And in the quiet moments, when she felt lost or weary, her father’s constancy was still there. She and her husband worked hard and created a life many only dream of.

At long last, it came time for him to let her go completely. He was not afraid, had never been. How could he, when he had somehow managed to have been gifted the most marvelous daughter a father could ask for? She would carry on his devotion to her children and grandchildren, and he was certain he’d see her again.