*Our Granddaughter Ashlea*

Daddy's Little Girl

Her hair 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 mommy 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,
on the Daddy's Day

But still her mommy 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 wall in back
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 were searching,
for 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 at her friends
And looked back at her teacher
who told her to begin.

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 with me on this 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 cannot see him,
I'm not standing here alone."

"Cause my Daddy's always with me,
even though we are far apart.
I know because he told me,
he'll forever be here 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 some where 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 heavens much to far."

"but sometimes when I close my eyes,
it's like he never went away."
And then she closed her eyes,
and she 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 placed on her desk
was a beautiful pink rose.

And a child was blessed, if only a moment,
by the love her shining bright star
and given the gift of believing that
Heaven is never to far.

For all the children that have lost their Daddy or Mommy in the
tragedy of 9-11. Always remember they will be in your hearts.