We've never had the easiest relationship, but I will always cherish it.
The story of my dad and me goes way back and has many factors, enough to write a book, so I won't get into it. But something that I know is that he has always loved me and has wanted to be there for me, which took me a long time to realize- I see that as an enormous blessing now.
He's helping me with so many things in my life now. College, finances, finding a car, and just anything to do with adulting (which I'm not jazzed about, but hey, he's here to help me so that takes off pressure). We don't always agree on things, we butt heads a fair amount of times (like most fathers and daughters do), but we do share similarities in our thinking and most importantly our humor. I hold that part of our relationship close to my heart, especially when the thought of how quickly I can lose him comes into my mind. My dad is a police officer, and I couldn't be more proud.
The profession he has chosen is a very respected and quite frankly a heroic one, although many people refuse to see that in today's society. Before certain artists want to sing (or rap) about killing police officers, I want them to think about them as people, as people who choose to "make a positive impact in serving the citizens" (a quote from him that was in our local newspaper).
I was raised to have respect for cops, and I always felt safe and secure whenever I saw one near me. I shudder every time I see something on the news bashing law enforcement because those people don't know my dad. They don't know how caring and protective he is, protective of me, my younger brothers, and the entire community. He really does want to make the world a little safer for everyone, for us.
He's not just a cop. He's a husband. A son. A friend. A cousin. A nephew. A father. My father. I love you dad, and I'm proud to be your daughter.
