You Can Let Go Now, Daddy

The wind was blowing on my face that day. Sidewalk was flying beneath my bike. A five year-old's first taste of what freedom's really like. He was running right beside me. His hand holding on the seat. I took a deep breath and hollered as I headed for the street.

You can let go now, Daddy. You can let go. Oh, I think I'm ready to do this on my own. It's still a little bit scary. But I want you to know...I'll be ok now, Daddy. You can let go.

Fifteen years later, I was standing at the altar between the two loves of my life. To one I've been a daughter. To one I soon would be a wife. When the preacher asked, 'Who gives this woman?', Daddy's eyes filled up with tears. He kept holding tightly to my arm, 'till I whispered in his ear.

You can let go now, Daddy. You can let go. Oh, I think I'm ready to do this on my own. It still feels a little bit scary. But I want you to know, I'll be ok now, Daddy. You can let go.

Years later, after all the fun we had, it was killing me to see the strongest man I ever knew wasting away to nothing in that hospital room. 'You know he's only hanging on for you', that's what the night nurse said. My voice and heart were breaking as I crawled up in his bed, and said,

You can let go now, Daddy. You can let go. Your little girl is ready to do this on my own. It's gonna be a little bit scary. But I want you to know, I'll be ok now, Daddy. You can let go.

You can let go.

Now I sit here at his grave, telling him how much I love him. Reflecting back on that fateful day. Replaying what I always told you when you hesitated in letting me go. I can only hope that you can see just how much he meant to me. Sometimes Michael will come along, but it's just me most of the time. He said it was just out of respect whenever I ask him about it.

Over head, I hear the distant rumbling of thunder. An approaching storm calling out to seek for cover before it lays its wrath upon us. With watery eyes, I kiss his stone one last time before quietly walking away. My heart and soul forevermore buried down six feet under with the man that was my everything.