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I wrote this poem sixteen years ago when my daughter Melody was three. As I write this article I am also thinking of last minute details for her wedding which is only a week away. They say I will have to give her away. There must be a better way to put it. The idea of “giving her away” seems cold and indifferent somehow. I could never give her away, she will always be my little girl.
I went with Melody and her mother to look at wedding dresses some time back. I got to go because I knew the way. My instructions were to wait in the car. That was fine with me. I took a book and enjoyed the peacefulness of a shady parking space and a cool spring breeze while they looked. We had been to four or five bridal shops already and I was in hopes they would find what they were looking for at this one.
An hour past, and then another. After two hours I was ready for a stretch and decided to venture into the forbidden zone; the bridal boutique. The store was pure white. I have never seen so much lace. I looked around briefly and didn’t see them, so I decided to go through my department store search and rescue routine which is designed to “find ‘em fast and get ‘em out.” It involves racing past the aisle heads and looking left and right in search of lost family members who think the words “check out” mean look at more stuff.
The aisles were packed. “Brides to be” were pacing in wedding dresses with their moms in tow up and down the aisles looking for veils and such. Finally, I found an empty aisle that I could use to cross over to the other side of the store. There was only one bride and she was at the end of the aisle with her back to me getting fitted. I figured I could squeeze past her. I was almost to the end of the aisle when I was stopped cold in my tracks. The bride I was approaching must have heard my footsteps and turned her head slightly to look at me over her shoulder. It was Melody! As a big smile began to light up her eyes, tears filled mine. She was beautiful. My little girl was all grown up. Just then, the lady who was on her knees in the floor by Melody saw me. She leaned over, taking the pins out of her mouth, and bellowed, “We got another father down, aisle eight.” I hope I make it through the wedding.
There is nothing more wonderful than your children. Love them for a lifetime and never “give them away.”
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