The wonders

This morning, when I dropped off my daughter, something happened. It's something that parents will nod their head in understanding and non-parents will find out when they and if they become parents.
I brought my daughter over to her cubby, helped her get her coat off and with a peck on her head, sent her into her class; nothing unusual.
As I signed in at the sign in table

"Daddy, wait!"

My daughter shot from around the table with outstretched arms. She gave me a warm hug and then a quick kiss.

"Bye Daddy", she piped and was gone; back to her four foot something world.

That, as simple as it seems, is what so makes my day. It can turn a sour morning around. When I arrive home after work...tired, burnt out on the world...and suddenly this bright smiling child charges across the room and into my arms.

I would put forth that the love of a spouse, family member or close friend comes with emotional trials, expectations and issues. It's never pure, but mottled with as much potential and real conflict as it is nurturing. Yet the love from child to parent (and visa versa) is so pure, so full it's a tad intimidating. With the level of adoration comes a stunning obligation and accountability, in return.
It really tears at my soul when I hear about those who hurt their own children. I see my daughter and cannot believe how anyone could harm their own.
When my wife was pregnant, I learned much about how important a mother's bonding with their newborn was. It was this delicate mythical attainment; unexplainable to non-mothers and something every mother to be hoped for and feared they might not get.

The bonding between fathers and their children was often relegated to few sentences; maybe a paragraph. I got the impression of a male wolf or lion - some predator - who would sniff their newborn, maybe establish some dominant crap and then stalk off. Consequently I had no idea how powerful the bonding between my daughter and I could be.

I smiled as I drove to work.