A Father's Love

Yesterday was vacuum day here at the Hutchison Apartment. I was busily pushing the vacuum across the floor when low and behold a heart (one of the girls alphabet toys with the word heart embroidered on it, very neat toys I might add, Anyhow), it was on the floor where I needed to vacuum so Allen thoughtfully grabbed it and said, "Here is my heart".



Being from a family of quick wit and all the sass to go with, I thought to respond, no actually it isn't yours to give, it is Lizzie's. Of course, with the vacuuming I chose not to, but as I continued my way through the apartment I thought about the implications of that little exchange.

The truth is daddy's would love to be able to choose who their daughter's hearts go to, and yet they can't. No matter how they may try to persuade, and coerce their lovely daughters to be attracted to the boys of their choosing (whether their little girl is 6 or 36), they have no control. Instead they must wait, and hope and pray that the little girl they watched grow up, will choose for herself as well or better than he can choose for her.



Someday Allen will come to that moment of no longer being able to pick up the heart and hand it to whom he chooses, but instead must release it to another. There will be seas of tears of all types on that blessed day. Until then, we have a huge job ahead teaching our girls to love and be loved as God would have them do.

And to my father,
Thank you for letting go. Being married to Allen has been the biggest blessing of my life. God chose well for me, so thank you for trusting God and me and letting go through your own sea.

I love you Daddy.
Always your little girl,
Steph