My Daughter’s Gift: A Text

Last night, a minute or two before midnight, I’m sitting on the couch just off Ryan’s room watching a documentary. Sue comes from Ryan’s room and just stands there. My first thought is I must have done something wrong and I’m about to hear it. That happens a lot. I brace myself. 

Then a text comes in from Kari (who’s out-of-town for the week). Sue says, “Ah, she beat me to it”. Now I’m really wondering what I did for them to gang up on me. This feels like an intervention. I make a quick inventory of all the things I’ve done wrong and prepare to take what’s surely coming.

It doesn’t dawn on me what their up to until I opened the text and Sue began singing “Happy Birthday” that I finally understood. Phew! I wasn’t in hot water. Best birthday yet!

Kari’s text touched me. Deeply. It’s was the perfect gift.

Happy 20th, Daddy! Hahaha.

Love you so much and couldn’t ask for a better dad. Honestly, I’m the luckiest girl in the whole world. And Ryan is the luckiest son ever for having you.

It’s rare to find people as genuinely nice and caring as you. I know you’d do anything for me and it intimidates me because I don’t think I could ever be half the person you are. You’re unreal and you make me stronger ever day. I look up to you more than know.

Happy birthday, Daddy. You deserve the world and I can’t wait until Friday to celebrate with you!

What a wonderful way to start another year! Here’s the thing… Kari and Ryan are already more than half of what I am. They got that by genetics alone. And all my faults were seemingly subdued by Sue’s dominant “niceness” gene. My children are better. Much, much better than I am.

Really, that’s all a Dad could ever really want for his birthday… or legacy.