Her hair was up in a pony tail,
her favorite dress tied with a bow.
Today was Daddy’s Day at school,
and she couldn’t wait to go.
~~~
But her mummy tried to tell her,
that she probably should stay home.
Why the kids might not understand,
if she went to school alone.
~~~
But she was not afraid;
she knew just what to say.
What to tell her classmates
of why he wasn’t there today.
~~~
But still her mother worried,
for her to face this day alone.
And that was why once again,
she tried to keep her daughter home.
~~~
But the little girl went to school
eager to tell them all.
About a dad she never sees
a dad who never calls.
~~~
There were daddies along the back wall,
for everyone to meet.
Children squirming impatiently,
anxious in their seats.
~~~
One by one the teacher called
a student from the class.
To introduce their daddy,
as seconds slowly passed.
~~~
At last the teacher called her name,
every child turned to stare.
Each of them was searching,
a man who wasn’t there.
~~~
‘Where’s her daddy at?’
She heard a boy call out.
‘She probably doesn’t have one,’
another student dared to shout.
~~~
And from somewhere near the back,
she heard a daddy say,
‘Looks like another deadbeat dad,
too busy to waste his day.’
~~~
The words did not offend her,
as she smiled up at her Mum.
And looked back at her teacher,
who told her to go on.
~~~
And with hands behind her back,
slowly she began to speak
And out from the mouth of a child,
came words incredibly unique.
~~~
‘My Daddy couldn’t be here,
because he lives so far away.
But I know he wishes he could be,
since this is such a special day.
~~~
And though you cannot meet him,
I wanted you to know.
All about my daddy,
and how much he loves me so.
~~~
He loved to tell me stories
he taught me to ride my bike.
He surprised me with pink roses,
and taught me to fly a kite.
~~~
We used to share fudge sundaes,
and ice cream in a cone.
And though you can not see him.
I’m not standing here alone.
~~~
‘Cause my daddy’s always with me,
even though we are apart
I know because he told me,
he’ll forever be in my heart.
~~~
With that, her little hand reached up,
and lay across her chest.
Feeling her own heartbeat,
beneath her favorite dress.
~~~
And from somewhere in the crowd of dads,
her mother stood in tears.
Proudly watching her daughter,
who was wise beyond her years.
~~~
For she stood up for the love
of a man not in her life.
Doing what was best for her,
doing what was right.
~~~
And when she dropped her hand back down,
staring straight into the crowd.
She finished with a voice so soft,
but its message clear and loud.
~~~
‘I love my daddy very much,
he’s my shining star.
And if he could, he’d be here,
but heaven’s just too far.
~~~
You see he is a soldier
And died just this past year
When a roadside bomb hit his convoy
and taught brave men to fear.
~~~
But sometimes when I close my eyes,
it’s like he never went away.’
And then she closed her eyes,
and saw him there that day.
~~~
And to her mother’s amazement,
she witnessed with surprise.
A room full of daddies and children,
all starting to close their eyes.
~~~
Who knows what they saw before them,
who knows what they felt inside.
Perhaps for merely a second,
they saw him at her side.
~~~
‘I know you’re with me Daddy,’
to the silence she called out.
And what happened next made believers,
of those once filled with doubt.
~~~
Not one in that room could explain it,
for each of their eyes had been closed.
But there on the desk beside her,
was a fragrant long – stemmed pink rose.
And a child was blessed, if only for a moment,
by the love of her shining star.
And given the gift of believing,
that heaven is never too far.
