Two years of college down, two to go. Summer flew by, move-in day is coming up again and my room is full of boxes and bags that are ready to be packed into the car for the long drive back to school. The routine should be second nature by now, but there is something that keeps making me feel upset every time I see a box out of the corner of my eye and every time I think about moving away from home yet again.
Growing up, I had been a major daddy's girl and we had been really close. As I went through high school, however, our father-daughter relationship became strained. Being away at college for two years had reminded me how much I missed having a good relationship with my dad. It reminded me how important family is to me and thankfully this summer gave me the chance to mend that relationship with him.
Now, as the summer is coming to a close, I feel as much like a daddy's girl as I had been when I was younger. I know there are many people out there who will say that being a daddy's girl means I am spoiled, but for me, it just means that my dad and I are close and hang out a lot. Now don't get me wrong, I love spending time with him and I love that the father-daughter part of my life has gone back to being good again, but it is also the thing that makes me feel a little bit upset as school approaches.
It is the little everyday things that I know I am going to miss doing and having, on top of missing my dad in general. Yes, I am going to miss my dad -- I am not afraid to say that I will. I am not going to be able to do something as simple as seeing him every day of the week. I will no longer be waking up, walking down to the kitchen and seeing him standing in front of the stove while making scrambled eggs and sausage links for us for breakfast or asking me if I want any tea to help wake me up. We will no longer be taking a few trips each month to the cemetery down the road, where we drive around and occasionally throw pieces of bread out the windows for the deer and turkeys to munch on. Not to mention, my Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday nights will not be the same when I am having to watch "Big Brother" on my own.
My dad is my best friend during summer and the rest of my school breaks; I am proud to be able to say that. So many kids are not nearly as close with their dads as I am. It's difficult to come to the realization that the thing I am going to miss most about home isn't an object but rather a person. People are more difficult to leave, especially when you know that they've been so happy to have you around all summer.
So to my dad: thank you for giving me the chance to repair our relationship and for spending so much time with me the past few months. I know putting up with me and my attitude can be a bit challenging at times, but it means so much to me. Thank you for being there for me when I have needed you and for supporting me as much as you do. Just because I will be a few states away, doesn't mean I won't be keeping in touch.
As Winnie the Pooh once said, "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."
