A Story Of Rising From Childhood Into A Whole New Ballgame
I sat that evening in the room once so familiar to me, now like a passing stranger, and said goodbye to my childhood. As I sat beneath the canopy of my bed, I could almost hear my laughter throughout the room. I glanced to the hanger held by my old closet door. There hung my wedding dress. The one garment I'd dreamed of since I was a little girl. As I had dreamt, it was the one thing I'd ever worn that made me feel truly beautiful. Now, when the sun rises, I will take my place as an adult and marry my own Prince Charming. But, it also meant the end of being my father’s little girl.
I jumped out of bed a full hour ahead of when I needed to awake, out of sheer excitement. I was finally getting married. I put on my gown and just posed for nearly an hour in front of the mirror. I couldn't wait to see Jon as I walked down the aisle.
We arrived near the creek a few hours later. I had wanted an outdoor wedding because I loved all the beautiful flowers that bloomed this time of year. My father stood beside me as we were about to walk down the aisle. He stood there firmly, as if struggling to hold back all emotions. His dark brown eyes had a slight watery glaze over them. In the few seconds we were at a standstill, a plethora of memories filled my mind. My father was not what you would call traditional, but I think it made all the difference. We wrestled-even when I was 18. He actually thought he could sing. It just got on my last nerve when he used to sing "You Don't Own Me" by Lesley Gore. I thought I was going to kill myself. He had that corny sense of humor present in so many baby boomers. Even when I was a toddler he would talk to me like another adult, you know, have a conversation with me. He had really become a great friend, and I think we both knew, it could never really be the same after I was married. My father gave me away to Jon, and his eyes spoke volumes. He had to let his little girl go, and it made his heart actually hurt.
At the reception, I danced with my new husband and did all the traditional wedding things. Cutting the cake, throwing the bouquet, tossing the garter belt were all included. There was something missing from this picture. The band started to play "The Way You Look Tonight" and I asked my father for the last dance of the evening. The song I had heard so many times as a child had become possibly the most memorable of my life. Dancing with my daddy gave me the chance to say goodbye. Though it was the end of my childhood, there is much more to come. I will miss being my father's little girl, but if Jon is half the father mine was, my daughter will be truly lucky. Just before the song had ended, I told my dad I loved him. Then at such a touching moment between the two of us, he replied to me.
Lowly at first, "Don't tell me what to do....Don't Tell Me What to Say....and when I go out with you...Don't put me on display...."
A smile washed across my face, and with simply a song my dad had took away all the pain I had felt earlier and made me realize he would always be my daddy. And as I watched him hopelessly croon that dreadful song, I knew I would always be his little girl.
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Another story by Annie: Thanks To Robert Frost