"Fathers, be good to your daughters.."

This was inspired by a little girl and her daddy walking hand and hand and talking at the park, a dad and his daughter riding bikes, a dad strolling with his son, dads coaching and practicing softball with their girls... things I never experienced with my own father. Never underestimate the effect of strangers or the effect you may have on them.

For all the cradling you never did
The bike rides we never took
The hands we never held
The steps you never helped me take

For all the dinners never had
The dances never danced
The monsters under the bed you never scared away

And all the advice you never gave
And the busy weekends you couldn't make
The trips we never took
All the tears you never wiped

The congratulations never given
Never telling me you're proud
That aisle we'll never walk down
And the family name I won't pass on

Everything you never taught me
Yet everything I learned
The cracks in my heart
The mending you'll never make

All the pain throughout the years
Yet one night you held me tight
The understanding that you afforded
Come undone when all was said and done

The forgiveness I think I'm ready for
The empty pot in my hands

The "Daddy's Little Girl" picture frame
Telling, telling lies

I'll never be good enough in your eyes
And that sad little girl still lingers and cries at the window when we say goodbye