Stay Close Little Girl....

One day a little girl was born into the world and for a very small moment, her father held his breath, because that little girl was all his and his heart had never been so filled with joy and fear. From her tiny hospital bed, that baby girl reached up, took hold of her father's finger and held on tight. And right then, that father knew he would never let her go. Life with that little girl would always mean holding her hand.
Time passed and the little girl became a on-year-old. Her father knew something had changed because the little girl wanted more than his finger to hold. Now she wanted to walk with him. So he took hold of her hand, led her across the room and daintily, she took her first steps. From the place where he stood beside her, that father grinned a silly grin. But in his heart, the words went something like this:
Stay close little girl,
Be my angel little girl,
Hold onto my hand,
Stay close little girl, when you walk little girl,
I'll always be your man.
The girl grew older and for her sixth birthday, she got a princess crown. Princesses wore pink satin and curled her hair. Her father looked at that little princess and knew she needed a prince. So he took hold of her hand, led her on a parade across the living room, and proudly, very proudly, that princess giggled at her tall prince. From the place where he paraded beside her, that father waved a silly scepter. But in his heart, the words went something like this:
Stay close little girl,
Be my princess little girl,
Hold onto my hand.
Stay close little girl, when you play little girl,
I'll always be your man.
Years passed and the girl didn't want to play dress up anymore. Instead she pulled her hair back in a ponytail and became a rough-and-tumble soccer player. Her father knew it was a long walk from the parking lot to the practice field, even for rough-and-tumble soccer players. So he took hold of her hand, grabbed her gear, and easily, very easily she jogged with him across the field. From the place where he ran beside her, that father gave a silly pep talk. But in his heart, the words went something like this:
Stay close little girl,
Be my star little girl,
Hold onto my hand.
Stay close little girl, as you run little girl,
I'll always be your man.
Seventh grade came and the girl was changing. She was growing up and she didn't like princess crowns or soccer balls. Now she liked to shop. Shopping wasn't really a daddy thing, but some nights the girl needed a new sweater or a pair of socks and she would beg her father until he gave in and drove her to the mall. Her father knew that parking lots could be dangerous, so he took hold of her hand and safely, very safely, they made their way from the car to the store. From the place where he walked beside her, that father teased a silly tease. But in his heart, the words went something like this:
Stay close little girl,
Be my laughter little girl,
Hold onto my hand.
Stay close little girl, when you wonder little girl,
I'll always be your man.
More years passed and the girl was invited to her first dance. Dancing was something she'd dreamed of doing, but she wasn't sure how to dance with a boy. Her father watched the way his big girl's eyes sparked and he felt something strange in his heart, but he knew that little girl needed a dance partner. So he turned on the music , took her hand, and fondly, very fondly, he twisted her around the living room. From the place where he danced beside her, that father smiled a silly smile. But in his heart, the words went something like this:
Stay close little girl,
Dance with me little girl,
Hold onto my hand.
Stay close little girl, though you date little girl,
I'll always be your man.
The father blinked and six more years disappeared. This time the girl fell in love....love so real the boy asked her to be his bride. In the time it took to smile at her ring, the father's heart sank to his knees, and that's where it stayed until her wedding, because marriage meant his job was done. HE knew that the walk down the aisle would be the longest in his life, so he took her hand, looked long into her eyes, and slowly, very slowly, he walked his girl toward the front of the church. From the place where he gave her away, he swallowed a lumpy swallow, but in his heart, the words went something like this:
Here we are little girl,
Change your name little girl,
Here we are little girl, I'll let you go little girl,
And now he'll be your man.
-Karen Kingsbury