Mari & Ilna-you're the best.
McRollers-thanks for reading.
In Print (1/1)
Steve read the last of handwritten words on the pages in front of him and looked across his office at his partner and best friend.
"Wow."
Danny nodded, an expression of joy on his face. "Right?"
"That's some kid you have there."
The blonde haired detective beamed. "She's amazing."
"When is the school paper publishing this?"
"Grace isn't 100% sure but she thinks it'll be Monday."
"We have to buy some extra copies to make sure everybody gets one," Steve said. "Between all of our friends and family we'll probably double the paper's circulation for the day."
"Rachel is in London but I promised her I'd buy a few copies for her to have when she gets back," Danny said.
Steve looked at the pages in his hand again. "If I were you I'd consider getting this original copy framed."
"You don't think Grace might think that's too much?" Danny asked.
"She might." Steve admitted.
"Danny's eyes lit up. "If she does I could say it was your idea."
"Do it." Steve barked a laugh. "I'll happily take the heat. This deserves to be preserved forever."
He looked at the papers again and smiled.
Things I Learned from My Dad by Grace Williams
I'm very lucky to have two amazing parents. Even though they divorced when I was young, each of them has worked hard to honor the role of the other in my life. Neither one ever made me feel guilty for loving, and wanting to spend time with, the other. So when my class assignment called for me to pick one of them and write about the most important things they ever taught me, I was torn. I've learned so much from each of them and didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings by choosing the other to write about.
After a lot of thought I realized the answer was right in front of me. One of the things my mother taught me from a very young age was to be happy for the good things that happen to other people. To celebrate their successes. To find joy in their triumphs. To truly want the best for the people you love. So I know in my heart that my mother will not only understand that I chose to write about my father, but will be genuinely happy for him.
My father has always been the type of man who leads by example. After he and my mother divorced, and she moved me here to Hawaii to live with my stepfather, my father uprooted his entire life in New Jersey to come here and start again. Which not only taught me volumes about the power of unconditional love, but also showed me the importance of resilience. The ability to adapt to unexpected circumstances and come up with a new plan. I know as I move into adulthood and begin to forge my own path there will be unexpected circumstances that arise. I can only hope to face them with the same grace and determination my father does.
My father is a police officer, so it goes almost without saying that he shows me every day what it means to be brave and to serve others. But within the framework of his job he shows me so much more than that. He shows me compassion when dealing with people going through the worst moments in their life. I've been extremely lucky to have an amazing support network of friends and family in my life. I am very aware of the privilege that comes from that. Not everyone has been as lucky. Good people can make poor choices. That doesn't mean they don't deserve kindness and respect. Sometimes offering a hand up to someone in a bad place in their life can turn everything around for them. I've seen my father reach out that hand many times and I truly hope some day I have the chance to do the same.
My father taught me from a very young age the importance of communication. I've always known I can talk to him about anything. We laugh together all the time about silly things but we also have hard conversations when they're necessary. It's been that way since I was very young. He taught me how to express myself clearly. How to communicate my needs and desires. But just as importantly, how to listen to others when they do the same. By watching him I learned to be clear about my expectations from a situation, and to make equally sure I know what's expected of me. I learned to be the kind of person whose word can be trusted explicitly. To be the kind of friend others can count on without fail. Who'll answer the phone in the middle of the night and show up, no questions asked.
My father has shown me the importance of supporting the dreams of people around you even if you don't completely understand them. On my last birthday I went hang gliding. In previous years I've skydived, flown over volcanos, dived with sharks, and lots of other things my father wouldn't ever consider doing. And even though he's always nervous, he encourages me to do the things that make me happy. To grab life by the horns. He's shown me that even when he doesn't necessarily understand my decisions, he supports them wholeheartedly. And because of that support, I'm able to take chances in all aspects of my life, knowing that if things don't go as planned I have a soft place to fall. That he'll never judge me. Never say I told you so. That he'll be the first one to pick me up, dust me off, and encourage me to try again.
This barely scratches the surface of the things my father has taught me. I didn't get a chance to mention confidence, optimism, patience, work ethic, and teamwork. And equally as important, a willingness to learn new things. To never think we have it all figured out. To be open to new ideas and ways of doing things. To always listen and keep an open mind. Because as much as my father has taught me up until now, I know that because he continues to learn and grow everyday I'll continue to learn new lessons well into the future.
THE END
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