To my Dad

"You have a little girl. An adorable little girl who looks up to you and adores you in a way you could never imagine. I remember how her little hand used to fit inside mine. How she used to sit on my lap and lean her head against my chest."

"Then the day comes when she wants to get her ears pierced and she wants you to drop her off a block before the movie theater. The next thing you know, she's wearing eye shadow and high heals."

"From that moment on, you are in a constant state of panic. You worry about her going out with the wrong type of guys, the kind of guys who only want one thing--and you know exactly what that one thing is because its the same thing you wanted when you were their age."

"Then she gets a little older and you quit worrying about her meeting the wrong guy and you worry about her meeting the right guy. And that is the biggest fear of all because you lose her."

"This is the moment you have been dreading for six months. Well actually the past 22 years." "Who takes this woman? This woman? But she's not a woman. She's just a kid. My kid. I suddenly realize what is happening. Anne is all grown up."

Happy Birthday, Dad. I love you so much. Love, Your Little Girl