When my child left home
On a warm autumn day
It was a time like no other
When she told me I had to stay
“You see”, she said,
With a far away look imprinted on her face
“This is my time to find me”
“And where I fit in the human race”
“I know you love me, and you always will,
As I will always love you,
Even after the hands of time stand still.”
“I know that you always did the best you could,
And no matter what happens in my life,
You will always be my daddy,
For that love, there will always be a price”
“For love comes freely,
From those willing to give,
But when you must part with the ones you love,
There lies an empty spot inside”, this is what she said
As I look into her face,
Memories flash into my mind,
Of a faraway place,
And a faraway time
The laughs and sounds,
Of her playing in the street,
Sometimes the game of basketball,
Sometimes Hide and Go Seek
Of the slumber parties,
Too many to count,
Where poor dad could hardly sleep,
Girls downstairs,
Music on, dancing to the beat
Many FIRST come into my mind,
First time walking
Followed soon by
First time talking
The first day in grade school,
And then it seems far too soon,
Her standing in the bright yellow gown
Graduation day, on a warm day in June
And in between
so many things,
Driving her first car,
Spending time with the family, playing games
Playing sports,
Too many to count,
Always one that cared not as much about the winning
Or individual attention
But more about helping her team mates out
First to shout encouragement
Or to offer a helping hand
My pride in her could be no greater,
This daughter of mine
So as I step back in the present,
Slowing releasing the past,
I knew that it would be okay,
That the love we shared, father and daughter, would always last.
So I looked into her soft brown eyes,
and saw reflected, the tears gathering in mine.
I knew that she must make her own life
And this was the only way
So one more time,
I look into the miracle of love,
And knew that I had been blessed,
By the lord above
For in my child’s life,
There is proof for all to see,
That in god’s perfect world,
This is what we would be
When my child left home,
I did not know,
That when a child leaves home,
To love them, you must let go.