My Hero

I remember this day, sitting across the table from him. It wasn't often dad was captured with messy hair, not clean shaven, and wearing his undershirt, but it's one of my favorite pictures of him. He had just loaded his new camera with a roll of film, and I asked him if I could hold it. Of course, without hesitation, he handed it to me. And I started clicking like it was a digital camera with endless memory. He was laughing and telling me, "That's enough now," as I kept clicking. I wish the pictures caught his laughter too. And his voice, I wish it caught his serious-but-not-so-serious tone. Most of all, I wish the photos contained his wisdom, especially during these seasons of my life when I desperately long for his heroism.

Yesterday, as I was searching for graduation cards, I somehow crossed into the Father's Day section, and I thought of how I took my dad for granted, how I didn't always let him know how much I appreciated his loving, generous spirit, how I neglected to tell him I appreciated how he and Mom were always my biggest cheerleaders, how grateful I was to know that no matter what mistakes I made in life, I could be confident he and Mom would always be there to offer love and support, to dust off the seat of my pants, and to help me find my way again. 

I learned so much about my Heavenly Father through my earthly one. As much as I miss Dad, I know Papa God loves me even more than Daddy ever could. So in missing him, I'm reminded that the One who loves me even more is ready, willing, and waiting to be the Hero I need Him to be.