Sadness in her eyes.
She let it out, but no one heard her cry.
Dreading the pain that was buried inside,
Hoping one day he would tell her something other than a lie.
They said actions speak louder than words.
Proven by those actions, she now knew this was true.
Giving up on all hope was what she was led to do.
Hiding behind a smile while frustration built up,
All she wanted was her daddy, but he had already given up.
She just wanted her daddy back; she never asked for more.
She just wanted her daddy back, the pain too much to endure.
Fear and hate inside from that bottle of sin,
She dropped to her knees, knowing she couldn’t let that evil man win.
Taking a deep breath in, she looked all around,
Knowing she was much too strong for this, she wouldn’t let him take them down.
She just wanted her daddy back; it broke her heart each day.
She just wanted her daddy back, couldn’t waste another day.
She stood back up, her fists clenched tight,
Knowing she had the blood in her that could win the fight.
She ran full force with determination in her eyes.
She was going to get her daddy back; they weren’t saying their goodbyes.
She just wanted her daddy back, such a strong man she missed.
She just wanted her daddy back, so the pain could be dismissed.
Blacking out, not knowing what had been done,
Until her daddy grabbed her hand and whispered in her ear that they had won.
Instant relief filled her body with just one hug.
The happiness that was taken from her was returned in the form of love.
She got her daddy back; belief is all it took.
She got her daddy back, stronger than she looked.
What Inspired This Reflection
This poem is for my father. For years, his struggle with alcohol felt like he was lost to us and the pain ran deep. In the end, before cancer took him, he shared a love more powerful than I had ever known. This is the story of that journey, of longing, loss, and the gift of love that returned when it was needed most.
The Attitude Adjustment 