All My Love, Daddy.

Economists estimate that over 1 million dollars is spent in the U.S. on Father’s Day each year.

According to my novice research, The first Father’s day was celebrated on July 19, 1910 in the state of Washington; but it wasn’t until 58 years later that Nixon signed the proclamation to make Father’s Day a federal holiday. Read more about it here.

But regardless of when it started, or what it means in a culture where everything is a holiday, I must share my favorite moment with my dad.

Fast forward through reading aloud C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien before bed. Fast forward through soccer games, and sparring matches, and dance recitals. Fast forward through the week he spent building a treehouse in our backyard that blows away any treehouse I have ever seen.

Press play my junior year of high school. My first day of boarding school. One of the scariest days of my life.

We had arrived in a cloud of dust and silence. I had no intention of running, but no real intention of staying either. The buildings seemed to morph together as I stepped out of the car, water bottle in hand my mouth was still dry.

After a series of instructions that I will never really remember, we were led to my dorm room. It was small with 2 sets of bunk beds, a bathroom, and a sink. My mom and I unpacked my belongings and made my bed. I remember vividly the smells I took in on that first day, St. Ives apricot face wash and Johnson & Johnson’s baby shampoo.

As my family filed out glassy eyed and quiet, my dad held me tightly, “The Lord bless you and keep you,” he cooed to my frightened 16 year old self, “The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26).

That moment is forever in my heart. Those words carried me through until I graduated. Those same he spoke over Eric and I during our wedding ceremony many years later.

A simple moment, that I will never ever forget.

All my love daddy.