Mothers and Daughters

My daughter called this morning from Houston. She is my only child and the love of my life. It is always good to hear her voice. I hear her voice and am flooded with memories of her as a little girl with bouncing red curls and an inquisitive mind who was forever asking why.

All mothers think their daughters are remarkable. But my daughter has proven herself to be so. There has been within her a creative, free spirited being much older than her physical years and exceptionally sensitive to life around her. I sadly admit there were times I tried to stifle her outspokeness and questioning of authority. I thought she needed to curb her remarks and be more respectful of those adults she would question. I was wrong. I can see that now. Thankfully, my efforts to rein her in were unsuccessful.

Now as an adult, those qualities which I once found troubling, are the ones that make her so remarkable. Anyone who comes to know her recognizes that she is enthusiastic about life and unaffraid to tell others what she thinks. She is a crusader for the downtrodden, offering help in a tangible way rather than just spouting words of indignation. She will go out of her way to bring food to the homeless person who stands daily at a freeway entrance ramp and then engage in conversation. She sees each person as an individual, not some invisible nameless person. She feels driven to do more than what is expected of her. She is remarkably artistic but wants to use this talent as a tool to bring others closer to the Creator. She can become righteously indignant when she sees wrong being done.

I say all these things about her with much pride. My daughter has a great gift to give in a world filled with meaness and incredible cruelty. She is a shining example of all that is good and worthy in mankind. I cannot attribute all her good qualities to anything her father or I have done. She is truly a gift from God. I am most thankful that we were given the opportunity to see her become the remarkable adult she has become.