I’m Okay Dad, I Can Do This
Posted on Mar 24 2006 | Tagged as: community, faith
I have never received a thumbs up from my daughter before, but it happened tonight at Safari Sam’s. This is a pizza place with all kinds of play equipment, noise and craziness for kids and kid-like adults.This may seem like a strange topic for a post, but give me the benefit of the doubt and read on.
After a long, emotional, and tiring day Marta called me on my cell to say we were meeting some friends and their children at Safari Sam’s for dinner and play. This sounded like a great way to end our week.
As you walk into the place they stamp you and your children with matching serial numbers. As you leave they make sure each child is matched with the right adult. They always check Marta for this, dads don’t seem to be as credible when it comes to keeping track of their children, I guess. This process gives parents a sense of security and children some independence.
So, my daughter and her friend were running around the place like free spirits, having a merry time. They were checking in periodically, but were enjoying their freedom. After we finished dinner and they had been playing for awhile my daughter came up to me and did something she has never done before.
She asked me for money.
I guess this is something Marta and I need to get use to, but this was a first for me. I asked what it was for, and she acted like I should just trust her. She said she wanted to buy some ice cream for her friend and herself, so I gave her the two dollars and was intrigued along with the other adults to see what would happen next.
They walked up to the counter. Many times I have tried to encourage her to have the courage to purchase things on her own. It is in moments like this in the past that I have seen her freeze and just stare at the person on the other side with a sad weepy face. This time was different. She handed the man the two dollars and requested a sherbet ice cream and two spoons. It was at this moment that my world spun for a split second.
My daughter turned and looked at me with a proud smile and gave me a thumbs up. It was as though she was saying to me, “I can do this Dad, I’m okay.” It was very cute, but at the same time made my heart skip. At that moment a scene from the future played in my mind of us walking down the aisle at her wedding. I turn to my seat looking back and my daughter turns toward me with a proud and loving smile, flashing the thumbs up. “I can do this Dad, I’m okay.”
It is a great thing to experience growth. It can be hard and scary, yet exhilarating. It brings me joy to see my daughter developing. I look forward to flashing my heavenly Father the thumbs up as I begin to understand more the workings of his kingdom.
