Some people don’t believe in heroes…they haven’t met my dad though. My daddy looked at me with a smile on his face and said to me, that I’ll always be safe. I said, “Why daddy, why?” as I started to grin, coz I knew my favorite song was about to begin. And he said,

“You’re my honey bunch, sugar plump, punky, yummy, pumpkin. And you’re my little sweetie pie. You’re my cupie-cake, gum drop, snick ‘em, spick ‘em smores, and you are the big apple of my eye.”

Daddy can you please show me the way? I know in my heart you have so much to say. Take my hand let’s play in the sand, I’ll listen and learn all the things I don’t understand. You protect, provide and help me grow, let’s keep walking daddy, we have a long way to go. Daddy told me a secret about a father’s love; a secret that my daddy said was just between us. Daddy’s don’t just love their children every now and then. It’s a love there forever, without having an end.

Daddy’s often say, “In my child’s eyes, I am a hero. I am strong and wise, and I have no fear. But the truth is plain to see, my child was sent to rescue me. I see who I wanna be, in my precious child. In my child’s eyes everyone is equal. Darkness turns to light and the world is at peace. My child gives me strength when I am weak, and I find reason to believe. It’s hanging on when your heart’s had enough and giving more when you feel like giving up.” In my daddy’s eyes I can see the future. A reflection of who I am and what will be. I hope he can see just how happy he’s made me. I grow bigger and wiser and start my own adventure.

Sometimes I don’t like it but that don’t mean I don’t love it. Sometimes I get down so low but that don’t mean I can’t rise above it. I’ve lost people and money to become who I am today and daddy taught me I’ll still be becoming tomorrow, maybe losing but still choosing anyway. It’s a lot to look at all I got. It’s a lot to see, who I am and I’m not. But daddy taught me, I can laugh, and I can love, and I can dream. I can do hard things. I can take a few tears, now and then, and just let them out. There are days every now and again I pretend I’m ok but that’s not what gets me. I would trade, give away, all the words that I saved, in my heart that I left unspoken.

I remember daddy’s hands working ‘til they bled, sacrificed unselfishly just to keep us all fed. I remember daddy’s hands how they held my mama tight and patted my back for something done right. There are things that I’ve forgotten, all the teachings from this man. But I’ll always remember the love in daddy’s hands. Daddy’s hands weren’t always gentle, but I’ve come to understand there was always love in daddy’s hand. Daddy please show me the way. Take my hand and remind me of the good old days. Sometimes it feels like this world’s gone crazy. Take me back to yesterday when the line between right and wrong didn’t seem so hazy. Is a promise really something people kept, not just something they would say, and then forget? Daddy, I just don’t know. Let’s wander back into the sand and paint me the picture of long ago. And so it goes…

Unforgettable, that’s what you are. Unforgettable, though near or far, never before has someone been more unforgettable. That’s why daddy, it’s so incredible, that someone so unforgettable, thinks that I am unforgettable too!!

Adaptations by SBH/SKH ~Courtesy of Jennifer Nettles, Nat King Cole, George Strait, Martina McBride, Rascal Flatts and The Judds;