Raised by Absence, Held by Light

Some words come from the child,
some from the woman she became.

They say daughters are easy to love when they’re quiet—
but what if you loved her even when she roared?

She is born wild with wonder.
Don’t tame her to be loved.
Love her, as she is—
always.

To love a daughter
is to hold her storms
without asking them to shrink.

Be her safe place.
Her harbor in the storm.
The world will teach its lessons—
your love should not be one of them.

Dad—
your choices
shaped the shadows
I had to walk through.

Creator,
thank you for being the face,
the name,
the role—
of father
while I walked that journey.
Thank you for never
leaving me alone.

With Grace & Ink,

Mai