Apple of My Eye

I carry in my wallet the last thing my father ever wrote to me. It was a note from Christmas 2002 that read, "Merry Christmas. Your still the apple of my eye. Love Dad" My father always wrote in such beautiful cursive handwriting; this was chicken scrawl. He was losing his ability to write. Less than 4 months later he was dead.

My father was a quiet man, a man of few words, giving power to those few words. Growing up, I knew my father loved me, and yet, I didn't really know in my heart. Even many years ago as I read these very Christmas words, I didn't truly comprehend what they meant. Until today. He's been dead for almost 10 years now, but today, I opened my wallet, saw his note and thought, "well, what does that mean?"

Do you know what it means to be the apple of someone's eye? I looked it up...

Precious
Cherished
Protected
The Center of Someone's Life
Beloved

This is what my father was communicating to me as he was dying. He's been gone for a decade, but today, I was given new understanding of the depth of his love for me. My heart has been stretched and filled in new ways these last 10 years, especially since meeting my husband and becoming a mother to two apples of my own eye. Perhaps today, my heart is more open to receive such a father's love. What an amazing blessing. How lucky I am to have had such a father's love... to have such a Father's love.