Daddy There was No Silence

The years have passed, many without a word spoken

In the absence of words, there was no silence

I remembered the good the bad, the terrifying, sometimes haunting

What became a part of me was the good in you and your teachings

Oh, there were the simple things, like how to tie my shoes; perhaps not so simple after all

You taught me how to catch a ball, how to cast a reel, and how to ride my shiny new bike.

You put my first guitar in my hand, I remember the day like it was yesterday

 I also remember vividly when you gave me my first camera even though I was only six years old.

You made me feel like a princess at the father’s daughter’s dance, the one at the local girl scouts hall.

I wore a fancy dress and you were so proud.

You showed me the deep-end of the pool as I swam atop your shoulders.

We crafted, we danced, we played guitar and oh how we sang.

I got your temper, head strong ways and false sense of how important my opinion need be.

My strength, my desire to do what is right, my need to right wrongs was crafted by you.

There was too much pain interwoven in the moments, the days and the years.

The ugliness grew and in time I didn’t know the horror that was staring at me from the other side of the mirror.

Long gone was the little girl who walked barefoot in the green grass.

The little girl, who cried,” Daddy look! I caught a fish.”

The silence began

The darkness prevailed

I grew older and in the pits of ugliness, a hand reached out to pull me out of the mire.

My Father came to me to heal

In time He and I began to talk, I started to trust, love and then walk.

He showed me how to forgive, love and again dance in the grass.

“Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name….” I would sing..

I’ve grown old now, oh how quickly these years have passed.

I’ve created my own good bad and ugly , forgiven by many, not so with a few

It's by the Grace of God, our silence has finally ended

There have been apologies said, amends made, stories shared and forgiveness all around.

I never believed that in this lifetime, it could be so, what a gift, I shall forever cherish

The power of God is much stronger than any amount of years of darkness

We have come full circle with the forgiveness of God.

I love you Daddy…