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My Father's Day
By Julia Rosien
As I grew, his love and energy saw me through the painful teenage years we all would rather forget. He challenged me to be more than I was and forced me to accept nothing less than my best. He dared me to see the other side when all I wanted was for him to accept my selfishness. At the end of the day when I knew failure, he built me back up and proved his unconditional love for me. He held me while I cried, dried my tears and stood me up again.
When I chose my mate and married, he shared my joy. He walked me down the aisle beaming with pride and holding my arm tight. I called him before anyone else after the birth of each of my babies. Watching him hold each newborn as if he were the first filled me with pride. Of all the wonderful things I could do in this world, having children topped my father's list.
The passionate force of this bond awes me. Even at my children's young ages, Grandpa is the standard by which they judge all relationships. His steadfastness is their rock when the rest of the world is uncertain. His unconditional love lets them hold onto innocence and gives them self-confidence. It insulates and protects them in ways they won't understand until they have children of their own.
Now my daughter's curls bob happily as I watch her bounce on my father's shoulders. Her short legs barely make it over his shoulders as her hands reach up to grab an apple blossom. Her face beams and giggles erupt with every step as Grandpa breaks into a run. She and her brothers have filled a spot that used to be mine. I gladly hand it over to them, knowing what an extraordinary spot it can be.