Being There is Everything

Twice in one week my daughter moves me to tears.  Sunday it was her spontaneous act of generosity in buying Aaron something from the Brandywine Zoo gift shop.  Yesterday it was her crying before her spring concert because I wasn't going to be able to be in the audience. 

These events are sold out weeks in advance, and I had only bought enough tickets for Amy and her parents, since Aaron and I were going to be at baseball practice.  Only practice was cancelled on account of rain.  So I could've gone...but no tickets.

First Aaron and then Amy told me Jada was crying, so I went up to have a chat.  I gave her room to cry and then to express herself verbally.  I told her I wanted to go but couldn't, but could Mommy take videos and then I could watch it with her and she could provide some commentary while I was watching?  I also told her a story about how just that morning, I was thinking of all our trips to Reading Terminal Market when she was younger to get the #1 at Sang Kee and I made her promise me that if she went off to college out of town, that when she came back home we could go to Sang Kee together. 

This little father-daughter moment together seemed to soothe her.  My heart was warmed at the thought of Jada hurting that I couldn't be there to watch her, but that there have been many other times that I could, and there will be many other times that I can.  How precious and fleeting are our special interactions with our kids, and I intend to not take any for granted.