I share here a composition that I ran across, composed a few years ago, and more poignant with the recent dusting off.... I post it here for general consumption. Not that these "snapshots" are unique or different than those which any worthy, attentive father might experience, but, well, they are special to me.... It's what I am.
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A Father's Snapshots…..
by Tom Stoddard
A tired cub scout falling asleep in the cab of the truck not 5 minutes after leaving camp and heading for home…
Pinning on an Eagle Scout badge…
Tucking outgrown toys neatly in the attic so they'll be here when the grandkids come…
A competition award for the essay she originally refused to write, but insisting she follow through…
Taking him to a vacant parking lot for his first driving lesson…
"Was anyone hurt? We can fix a fender. I'm just glad everyone is all right…"
Splinting her wrist after her sister pushes her off the top bunk…
Sitting with her head in your lap in the emergency room…
Picking out a tie with a cool cartoon character that a 6 year old will keep on during church…
Realizing it's more important for a 15 year old to just be in church and not hold out for him wearing a tie…
"Whatever you and your mother want for a wedding reception, we'll find a way to afford…"
Getting caught skipping words trying to fast forward through her bedtime story…
Following attentively as the first grader reads his bedtime story to me…
Wondering if my expected grandchild will favor my lovely daughter or……
Father/Son outings…
"Rasslin'" on the front room floor…
When playing cowboys, always being the horse…
Nodding and withholding comment as she relates a scripture story she just made a connection to…
Nodding and withholding comment as she relates the principle from a scripture story and figures how to resolve a personal issue with a friend…
Hoping ice cream soothes the hurt of being cut from the team…
"When we agree on a time to be home, you return not one minute later without calling me…"
Listening to what I just said, and hearing the very words my father so many years ago…
Evening out the self-inflicted haircut…
"When you're a boy, you can whiz standing up." (his first urinal)…
Report cards…
Being presented with the bill for the prom dress…
Seeing her in the prom dress and not regretting a single penny…
Screaming "RUN", as the little leaguer just stands there at home plate admiring his first hit…
"There are times when what I say as a father should be reason enough…”
Admitting that I never learned to cast a fishing line very well either…
Missing pliers out of the tool box…
Enjoying the marching band performance focusing on only one flag…
Cheating so she'll win a board game, just so she'll still be willing to play with me…
The mixed feeling of pride and betrayal when she, one day, beats me at chess straight up…
Mastering that special trick shot, which always takes him out when playing H-O-R-S-E…
Daddy/Daughter dates…
Finding pliers in the sand box…
Defacing the brand new asphalt driveway with that tacky outline for hopscotch…
Seeing the folly of his ill-advised choices and understanding that's how God must feel watching me…
Her first visit to the orthodontist…
Straining to see the oboe section in the middle of the school orchestra…
An empty tape dispenser on the desk…
Call from principal complaining about the tape ball he was playing with in class…
Holding him down while the doctor puts stitches in his head…
Holding him down while the doctor puts stitches in his leg…
Taking the training wheels off her bicycle…
Taking the training wheels off his life…
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