Every little girl's first love is her father. He is the one who takes her on her first date, dances with her in the living room, and holds her hand when she is afraid. a father's love for his little girl is something that is hard to beat. But not all girls get to experience such love for very long.
Loving a girl without a father is a task, I predict, that is not the easiest may seem exhausting. This is just a small glimpse of what I imagine it is like...
She will crave love in the most innocent of forms. Because she does not have that love from a man in her life, she will look to you for that love. Love her fully and without question.
She will miss him, at times so deeply that her whole body will ache. Hold her tightly and let her cry when this happens. She will appreciate the silence you offer.
She is slow to speak of him in serious conversation, but when she finally opens up to you, soak in all that she has to share with you and appreciate the rareness of her honesty; like the time he coached her elementary school basketball team, or jumped the giant waves with her in the ocean, and never let her go. She says so much in such few words, so listen closely.
She will be guarded and slow to trust you. Take the time to know her every ache and every joy, and never use them against her. When she trusts you fully, it will be worth it. Do not make her regret it.
She has an independent spirit because she has to. Being raised by a single, hard-working mother, she has learned to fend for herself in the real world. Step back occasionally and let her be. This is when she will shine the brightest.
Her biggest fear is people leaving. The day her father passed, although it was no one's choice, was the day she began to believe the lie that people always leave. Prove her wrong.
She will not be easy to love. She will fear commitment because commitment means attachment and attachment means loss. She will push you away, then beg you to stay. Some may see these all as faults, but to one special person, they are what make her different from all the others.
Although she may be hard to love, the love she gives in return is deep and passionate. She is a light because she has experienced darkness. When she loves, she loves with everything inside of her.
So it might not always be easy, but I promise you it will be worth it. Loving a girl without a father is no simple task, but it is rewarding. So I beg of you, love her anyway, love her well, and love her fully.
