At first glance, he was someone I would cross the street on the other side as soon as I saw him coming my way. That typical thug look. Silver chains, hat sideways, pants down to a place that HAD to be uncomfortable, mouth full of gold teeth! That thug! At my pool! Did NOT expect that.
But I stayed, and I listened, then I opened my eyes, and I looked, then-my eyes really opened and, I saw!
Here he was, with his two little girls, about 3 and 5, a couple of flotation devices, on a beautiful April afternoon, 75 degrees, sun overhead, wind blowing.. Spring in full bloom.
And he was yelling "Go Tasha, you can do it, Daddy believes in you, you can swim…my baby is learning to swim… I am so proud of my Tasha, my baby girl is swimming! Stay close to the side but...move your arms, stay in the ring, but… you are swimming! My baby is swimming!!
She was elated! She said "Look Daddy, I'm swimming… you taught me! I can swim!!!"
And there it was-the look may be a whole lot different, but, the words, the same as when I taught MY daughters to swim! I was both proud and ashamed at the same time!
POINTS2PONDER: Why do we assume we know a person because of how they look, how they dress, how they walk? What if someone misjudged us? Wouldn't we want them to get to know us first BEFORE judging a book by its cover?
I watched, and I smiled and I reminisced. My baby girls are turning 29 in May...seems like yesterday.
I got my things, got up and started to leave- then I stopped, turned and spoke to Daddy:
"You're a good dad. They will never forget who taught them to swim. I taught my girls just like you did! You are a good dad!"
He was surprised and blushed as I spoke--guess he had misjudged me too?
Then I said, "Enjoy them right now! You will blink, and they will be turning 29, and you will wonder, where'd the time go? And you will be beating those boys with a stick to stay away from your baby girls!"
He laughed and then said, "I'll beat them with a BIG stick -- nobody will be good enough for my little girls! They'll have to come through me first!"
I laughed and thought...that's exactly what I used to say!
Just two dads teaching their girls to swim...twenty-five years apart! But…nothing's changed! Dads still think no one is good enough for little girl!
And I smiled all the way home...cause...some things haven't changed, have they?
But I stayed, and I listened, then I opened my eyes, and I looked, then-my eyes really opened and, I saw!
Here he was, with his two little girls, about 3 and 5, a couple of flotation devices, on a beautiful April afternoon, 75 degrees, sun overhead, wind blowing.. Spring in full bloom.
And he was yelling "Go Tasha, you can do it, Daddy believes in you, you can swim…my baby is learning to swim… I am so proud of my Tasha, my baby girl is swimming! Stay close to the side but...move your arms, stay in the ring, but… you are swimming! My baby is swimming!!
She was elated! She said "Look Daddy, I'm swimming… you taught me! I can swim!!!"
And there it was-the look may be a whole lot different, but, the words, the same as when I taught MY daughters to swim! I was both proud and ashamed at the same time!
POINTS2PONDER: Why do we assume we know a person because of how they look, how they dress, how they walk? What if someone misjudged us? Wouldn't we want them to get to know us first BEFORE judging a book by its cover?
I watched, and I smiled and I reminisced. My baby girls are turning 29 in May...seems like yesterday.
I got my things, got up and started to leave- then I stopped, turned and spoke to Daddy:
"You're a good dad. They will never forget who taught them to swim. I taught my girls just like you did! You are a good dad!"
He was surprised and blushed as I spoke--guess he had misjudged me too?
Then I said, "Enjoy them right now! You will blink, and they will be turning 29, and you will wonder, where'd the time go? And you will be beating those boys with a stick to stay away from your baby girls!"
He laughed and then said, "I'll beat them with a BIG stick -- nobody will be good enough for my little girls! They'll have to come through me first!"
I laughed and thought...that's exactly what I used to say!
Just two dads teaching their girls to swim...twenty-five years apart! But…nothing's changed! Dads still think no one is good enough for little girl!
And I smiled all the way home...cause...some things haven't changed, have they?
 |
| My Baby Girls Ashley & Amanda |
No comments:
Post a Comment