Unconditional

I swear I’m making this blog only about my children.  But it’s what I’m feeling and thinking about in this moment, so here goes…

A child’s love is unconditional.  Looks don’t matter, talents don’t matter.  They love you all the same.  My daughter will come running with her arms spread as I arrive from work, smiling ear to ear, eager to give me a hug.  As I walked up the path yesterday, she yelled from the window, telling me she had a gift for me (of course a small treat my wife had bought, but it was suppoused to come from her).  What a beautiful thing a child’s love is.

Today at work, a co-worker’s son-in-law was diagnosed with cancer and will need to undergo surgery.  Even with everything the doctors say they can do, there is not much hope, that after the surgery the cancer will not recur.  (The surgery is in his head and half of his face, therefore there is also a good chance that he will never look the same.)  The interesting tidbit about this story, is that he has 3 month old daughter.  My co-worker calls her his guardian.  And all that made me think of my daughters.  How they love unconditionally.  No matter what I look like.  No matter what I do.  Even after a stern look and forceful words (every once in awhile discipline is neccesary) she will still crawl next to me on the floor to watch tv, or ask me to read her one of her books.  When I think of him and his daughter, she truly is his guardian.  Because no matter what, everyone will look at him differently after this surgery.  Except for her.  She will still see her dad.  And she’ll continue to love him as her dad for as long as she lives.

Despite what he may look like.  Despite of what he might have.  When I was young my father had back surgery and truly was never the same man.  He could no longer toss me in the air, or give me rides on his shoulders.  He couldn’t wrestle or play fight.   But all that was ok with me.  In my eyes he was still the strongest man I knew.  Even still at times today, I think of what a great man my father is, and how much I want to be like him. 

It truly is remarkable to be able to have that love in your life.  To be a father.  To be a son.  Wouldn’t things be so much better, if we all loved as children do?  As parents do?  The irony of it all is, that at one time, we may have…