To my daughter - Happy Birthday!

Today's my daughter's birthday. Proudest and happiest day of my life.

She's in the Navy now and it's the first time we haven't celebrated her birthday together since the day she was born. How fortunate am I to have been able to spend so much time with her all these years?

Regardless what goes on personally in one's life (the good and the bad), there's nothing that can take the place of a Dad's love for his little girl.  I raised her myself and let me tell you, she's done an amazing job in life so far.  And I couldn't have asked for a better daughter.  On top of it, she's a decent person who has a lot of love, empathy, compassion and a wonderful sense of humor.  She's married as well and has a fantastic husband who loves and cares for her to the moon and back.  And for that, I am grateful.

She's been my best friend since the day she was born and nothing will ever change that.  I am so grateful for her and she's made my life so much more enjoyable.

The poem below perfectly captures the essence of the bond.  She has so much life to live and so many wonderful experiences to endure.

Happy birthday, Sam!  You'll always be my little girl.
xoxoxo

Father-Daughter
"The bond between father and daughter happens instantly, starting right at birth,
When a father first lays eyes on his little girl he loves her more than anything on this earth,
When a daughter grows older her father is the first man she will love,
And the last one her father will have trouble letting go of,
To her father she means the world, she means everything.
When a daughter grows up to be an adult and mature,
Her father will always be there anytime she still needs dad to help her,
To give her advice or just-for anything she will ever need,
The bond between father and daughter is the most important bond indeed,
It cannot be broken when she finds a man, and become his wife,
It cannot be broken even in the ending of either one's life,
A daughter will always have the memories of her father, her best friend
This bond has a beginning, but there is never an end.
The bond between a father and daughter is so profound
The love shared is well renowned,
From the beginning of his daughter's life, he is a changed man,
At that moment his life really just began."