twentytwoandahalf

You know those Saturdays where you have a full agenda of errands? Well this past Saturday was a get up early, head to the big box stores before everyone else in VT and Canada gets there, and just get it done, kind of day. En route, I inevitably stopped at Dunkin (like all good new Englanders) for a bit of b-fast.

I was patiently standing in line, and overheard a father-daughter talking in line behind me. One of the towns here had a winter dance Saturday night. The young girl obviously went to that high school and was talking about it, dad was genuinely interested. Apparently after the Dunkin run, their next port-of-call was to get her nails done. Not sure what straw dad drew that morning, but it was really refreshing to hear their conversation. She was telling him all the different kind of manicures she could get, and finally settled on a simple French manicure (with her real nails). Kudos to dad who stood their patiently and genuinely asked questions. I’ve got to believe when “dad” was growing up, he never thought he’d be in Dunkin one morning getting a lesson from his teenage daughter about the benefits of gel vs acrylic nails—but he was there, he was present in her life at that moment. I’m sure his thought for the future Saturday mornings involved coaching little league, or hockey, or grilling. It was such a sweet interaction and conversation to witness, so this goes out to all those dads who find themselves doing or knowing about really girly things, and for those moms who set down their needlepoint to cheer on their sons at baseball games: but mostly for just being present in their lives.

Perhaps I was reminded of how much of a blessing my own parents have been to me in my life, and how present they have been. And that, my friends is why I stepped up to the register fighting back tears saying “hey…an english muffin with cheese & egg, please”