My Daughter's Wedding

I fear. You fear. But we look at that fear differently...

I remember praying for you...
when your Mom and I were still imagining your being...
when you were being born...
when I first held you...

Coming home from work one day, I realized that I'm already really a Father! So delighted to see that pretty angel smilling back at me- cooing, crying, laughing... You are me and your mom put together.

I whisphered so many prayers. Prayers for you. For your mom. For me - so I can provide all of your needs.

I declined working abroad as much as possible, so that I may not need to redeem momemts with you one day. But I guess work really took some of those precious moments away.

I do have regrets. I do have this fear...
I fear that the next time I see you, you will be satisfied in another man's arms - old enough to have a family of your own.

I fear that I may not be able to "assess" that man - that you are so decided and everything is already planned. I fear that you will not need to take my advice anymore - that you will "not need me" anymore.

I also prayed for this moment. I have briefed myself.
I know, inevitably, this moment will come (unwelcomed for me. Joke! But seriously...)

I prayed that whoever that man may be, may he consider that another man, I your Father, am counting on him to continue what I have started and finish what I may not be able to witness.

May this man take care of you as a father...
love you more than any lover...

May he fulfill your dreams.
May he support your dreams.
May he conform his life with your dreams...
May he do remembering that he is doing it in replacement of my place.

So, my future son-in-law, do understand the love I have for my daughter.
See how precious she is.
Remember this when you two get into a fight - when you have misunderstandings.

But not just in this situations, remember this everyday,
because I did not forget this and will not forget how much I love her, eventhough she already carries your name.

You are not just accountable to God, who has given everything to us...
to her, my precious daughter, to whom you have given your vows...
But you are also accountable to me, her father, who have entrusted her to you for a lifetime.

I admit that you came unwelcomely for me.
I'm not yet done spending time with my daughter.

I am not comfortable to see my daughter being kissed in public and in front of me.

But I see me in you,
when I also married my wife.

Love,
Dad