7-28-17 How to be a Father

I normally pick the subject matter that I want to discuss with my therapist.Yesterday he did.He asked how things were going with my daughter. He opened the door so I went for broke. I expressed my fear to him that I would never be able to be a real father to her. He listened to my reasoning on the matter and then simply disagreed with my conclusions. He told me that I would become and be a real father. I wasn't in the mood to play twenty questions so I just asked him straight out. How? How can I be a real father after missing thirty-nine years of her life? He said it's quite simple. He told me I needed to get inside of her head and figure out what being a real father means to her.Then I need to let her inside of my head and do the same. After that, we can reach a common ground on what it's meant to be a real father as it applies to our relationship. I know what I think makes a real father. You are there for your child.Your children are the most important thing to you. You talk to them, tell them that you love them and that you care about what goes on in their lives. You are there to support them to be a shoulder for them when that need one. You tell them how proud you are of them as they go through life and achieve their goals. You laugh with them and you dry their tears and hold them and let them know that everything is going to be ok when they are hurting. When the time comes you are willing to let them go and become their own person. You never give up or turn your back on them. You are and you will always be their father. You will always love them and they will always love you. Maybe we've already found some common ground. I have to put into practice what I just expressed. The only thing she needs to do is simply accept my love that I offer to her and in return say " I love you too Dad."