Sometimes, I can’t help but reflect on some fun conversations I’ve had with my kids over the years. One, in particular, stands out to me quite often. It was a sunny day in the fall when my daughter, Eliana, and I were sitting on the porch swing admiring the beauty of the colors of the falling leaves and the change of seasons. My arm around her as we gently swayed, her feet too short to touch the ground. Likely 4 years old at the time, I looked into her beautiful brown eyes…
“You know I love you right?”
“Yes, Daddy, I know you love me.”
“Is there anything you could ever do to make me stop loving you?” I’m not sure why I asked that as a follow up question, but I wanted to cement in her heart that of all the crazy things that happen when raising a child, my love wouldn’t stop.
“No, Daddy, you’ll always love me.”
Peeling back the layers, I continued… “Why will I never stop loving you?” Perhaps she would say something about because I have to since I’m her dad, or because she would do good things to make me keep loving her…I wasn’t sure how a 4-year-old would respond. Yet, in a way only a child could do, her response stopped me in my tracks.
“Why will I never stop loving you?”
“Because I’ll always be your daughter!”
And with that, my heart warmed, we looked back at the leaves falling from the trees.
She’s right, you know. No matter what…she’ll always be my daughter. Fast forward 10 years and now she’s 14 years old. She’s every bit of a teenager. She has days…I mean, you know…days.
She can be in a bad mood, or disrespectful, or sometimes downright mean.
But, I love her.
She fights with her brother and sister, she’s on her phone too much, she doesn’t do what I ask her to.
But, I love her.
She can disobey, she can push my buttons, she can abuse some privileges.
Yet, she’s my daughter…and I love her.
She’s my heart, she’s gifted in so many ways, I see her kindness to those around her.
She lights up a room, she sings with beauty, she cares for others, she even cares for me.
She shows grace to me when I’ve overreacted, she goes out of her way to talk to the ‘unpopular’ kids, she is creative.
She colors me pictures for my office, she writes notes to those needing encouragement, she prays, she reads, she…
She is and forever will be…my daughter.
Raising kids can be so challenging…
Raising kids can be so rewarding…
Yet, no matter what…
No matter how bad they mess up…
No matter how much trouble they create…
No matter how disrespectful they can be…
We love them…
We protect them…
We provide for them…
Because they’ll always be our children…
Always.
