As I watch my oldest daughter prepare for college, I realize just how fast the past 17 years have flown by. The memories of my baby girl are fading and have been replaced by images of a young woman who is a beautiful amalgamation of my wife and me. While I want oh so badly to hold on to my first born, she no longer fits in the palm of my hands. I have to let go. But letting go isn’t easy. Actually, letting go is hard.
I want to wrap her up in my arms to protect her from hurt, disappointment, and harm. I want to reverse time and rock her to sleep on my shoulder, or play dolls, or watch endless episodes of Barney together. But I have to let go. My arms aren’t wide enough to contain all that God has in store for her. But as a dad, I cannot let go completely. I still want to have a strong connection with my daughter even if she’s too old for piggyback rides. That’s why I started my Dear Dre project.