Just received this in my email a couple days ago. Forgive the formatting....all those arrows are a pain, but easier to read through then remove em all.....lol
A Dad's Poem >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>Her hair was up in a
pony tail, >> >> > > > > > >>her favorite dress tied with a bow. >> >> >
> > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>Today was Daddy's Day at school, >> >> > > >
> > >>and she couldn't wait to go. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > >
>>But her mommy tried to tell her, >> >> > > > > > >>that she probably
should stay home. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>Why the kids might
not understand, >> >> > > > > > >>if she went to school alone. >> >> > >
> > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>But she was not afraid; >> >> > > > > > >>she
knew just what to say. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>What to tell
her classmates >> >> > > > > > >>of why he wasn't there today. >> >> > >
> > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>But still her mother worried, >> >> > > > > >
>>for her to face this day alone. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > >
>>And that was why once again, >> >> > > > > > >>she tried to keep her
daughter home. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>But the little girl
went to school, >> >> > > > > > >>eager to tell them all. >> >> > > > > >
>> >> >> > > > > > >>About a dad she never sees >> >> > > > > > >>a dad
who never calls. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>There were daddies
along the wall in back, >> >> > > > > > >>for everyone to meet. >> >> > >
> > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>Children squirming impatiently, >> >> > > > >
> >>anxious in their seats. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>One by
one the teacher called, >> >> > > > > > >>a student from the class. >> >>
> > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>To introduce their daddy, >> >> > > > > >
>>as seconds slowly passed. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>At last
the teacher called her name, >> >> > > > > > >>every child turned to
stare. >> >> > > > > > >>Each of them was searching, >> >> > > > > >
>>for a man who wasn't there. >> >> > > > > > >>"Where's her daddy at?"
>> >> > > > > > >>she heard a boy call out. >> >> > > > > > >>"She
probably doesn't have one," >> >> > > > > > >>another student dared to
shout. >> >> > > > > > >>And from somewhere near the back, >> >> > > > >
> >>she heard a daddy say, >> >> > > > > > >>"Looks like another deadbeat
dad, >> >> > > > > > >>too busy to waste his day." >> >> > > > > > >>The
words did not offend her, >> >> > > > > > >>as she smiled up at her Mom.
>> >> > > > > > >>And looked back at her teacher, >> >> > > > > > >>who
told her to go on. >> >> > > > > > >>And with hands behind her back, >>
>> > > > > > >>slowly she began to speak. >> >> > > > > > >>And out from
the mouth of a child, >> >> > > > > > >>came words incredibly unique. >>
>> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>"My Daddy couldn't be here, >> >> > > >
> > >>because he lives so far away. >> >> > > > > > >>But I know he wishes
he could be, >> >> > > > > > >>since this is such a special day. >> >> >
> > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>And though you cannot meet him, >> >> > > >
> > >>I wanted you to know. >> >> > > > > > >>All about my daddy, >> >> >
> > > > >>and how much he loves me so. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > >
>>He loved to tell me stories >> >> > > > > > >>he taught me to ride my
bike. >> >> > > > > > >>He surprised me with pink roses, >> >> > > > > >
>>and taught me to fly a kite. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>We
used to share fudge sundaes, >> >> > > > > > >>and ice cream in a cone.
>> >> > > > > > >>And though you cannot see him, >> >> > > > > > >>I'm not
standing here alone. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>"Cause my
daddy's always with me, >> >> > > > > > >>even though we are apart >> >>
> > > > > >>I know because he told me, >> >> > > > > > >>he'll forever be
in my heart" >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>With that, her little
hand reached up, >> >> > > > > > >>and lay across her chest. >> >> > > >
> > >>feeling her own heartbeat, >> >> > > > > > >>beneath her favorite
dress. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>And from somewhere in the
crowd of dads, >> >> > > > > > >>her mother stood in tears. >> >> > > > >
> >>Proudly watching her daughter, >> >> > > > > > >>who was wise beyond
her years. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>For she stood up for the
love >> >> > > > > > >>of a man not in her life. >> >> > > > > > >>Doing
what was best for her, >> >> > > > > > >>doing what was right. >> >> > >
> > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>And when she dropped her hand back down, >> >>
> > > > > >>staring straight into the crowd. >> >> > > > > > >>She
finished with a voice so soft, >> >> > > > > > >>but its message clear and
loud. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>"I love my daddy very much,
>> >> > > > > > >>he's my shining star. >> >> > > > > > >>And if he could,
he'd be here, >> >> > > > > > >>but heaven's just too far >> >> > > > > >
>>You see he was a fireman >> >> > > > > > >>and died just this past year
>> >> > > > > > >>When airplanes hit the towers >> >> > > > > > >>and
taught Americans to fear. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>But
sometimes when I close my eyes, >> >> > > > > > >>it's like he never went
away." >> >> > > > > > >>And then she closed her eyes, >> >> > > > > >
>>and saw him there that day. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>And to
her mother's amazement, >> >> > > > > > >>she witnessed with surprise. >>
>> > > > > > >>A room full of daddies and children, >> >> > > > > > >>all
starting to close their eyes. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>Who
knows what they saw before them, >> >> > > > > > >>who knows what they
felt inside. >> >> > > > > > >>Perhaps for merely a second, >> >> > > > >
> >>they saw him at her side. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>"I
know you're with me Daddy," >> >> > > > > > >>to the silence she called
out. >> >> > > > > > >>And what happened next made believers, >> >> > > >
> > >>of those once filled with doubt. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > >
>>Not one in that room could explain it, >> >> > > > > > >>for each of
their eyes had been closed. >> >> > > > > > >>But there on the desk beside
her, >> >> > > > > > >>was a fragrant long-stemmed pink rose. >> >> > > >
> > >> >> >> > > > > > >>And a child was blessed, if only for a >> >> > >
> > > >>moment, >> >> > > > > > >>by the love of her shining bright star.
>> >> > > > > > >>And given the gift of believing, >> >> > > > > > >>that
heaven is never too far. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > > > > >>They say it
takes a minute to find a >> >> > > > > > >>special person, an hour to
appeciate them, a day to >>love >>them, >> >> > > > but then >> >> > >
> > > >>an entire life to forget them. Send this phrase to >>the >> >> >
> > > > >>people >> >> > > > you'll >> >> > > > >never >> >> > > > > >
>>forget and remember to send it also to the person >>that >> >> > > > >
> >>sent >>it >> >>to >> >> > > > you. >> >> > > > > > >> >> >> > > >
> > >>It's a short message to let them know that >> >> > > > > > >you'll
never forget them. Take >> >> > > > > > >>the time... to live and love.
Until eternity. Life >>is not >> >> >> > > > > > >>measured by the
number of breaths we take, but by >> >>the >> >> > > > >> >> > > >
>moments >> >> > > > > > >>that take our breath away. >> >> > > > > > >
>> >> > > > > > >> >> > >
Linear Mode
