“Their Hearts in Our Hands”

It was another ordinary Sunday on the Sammamish Plateau. The skies were gray and gloomy. And of course, it was raining. “Come on Dee, it’s time! Breakfast together, remember?” My dad said eagerly. He always woke up early and was so enthusiastic about it, unlike me. “5 more minutes Dad, please it’s so early”. I covered my face with a pillow to block the light he had turned on, an attempt to wake me up. “Let’s get up Dee!” Annoyed, I slowly got out of bed, and eventually, we made it out the door.

I got into the car and looked over at my dad. He wore a baseball cap and a smile. Any time he got to spend with his daughters, he cherished. I didn’t understand why we had to have our “quality time” on Sunday morning when I was so tired and grouchy. The sound of the rain and the road was too depressing, so I decided to turn on the radio. I was surprised when John Mayer’s voice came on. “Yes!” “I love this song!!” I yelled happily. It was one of my favorite songs, “Daughters”. Excited, I began to sing along. My dad began to sing along too. “To stand on the steps with the heart in our hands…” My dad explained how he enjoyed the lyrics of this song. But I didn’t see how they were that important. I just loved John Mayer’s voice and how the song played.

“The lyrics relate to your life more than you think” my dad explained as he opened the door to the Issaquah Cafe. Once we were seated my dad told me to think about our tradition every year of going to the Block Family Reunion in Peachtree City, GA. The tradition is so valuable to us and we make sure to be there every year because of the comforting feeling it provides us. We began talking about how amazing my grandma and grandpa were. At ages 91 and 88, respectively, because of the bond of family, are successfully living on their own. It’s the dependency we have on one another that can really change someone’s life.

As I think back to that Sunday morning I laugh about how my day started. I had such a negative perspective on something that was actually very special to me. My dad and John Mayer (I know it sounds silly, but it’s true!) changed my perception on the meaning of family. The gloomy, rainy Sunday morning had turned into a powerful bright day to look back on. I realized how important relationships within your family are to aspects of your daily life and even to your future. I believe the desire for a family friendly environment opens the doors to endless possibilities and that truly, “their hearts are in our hands”. It turned out to be a perfect way to spend my Sunday morning. Quality time with my happy-go-lucky dad; I wouldn’t have it any other way.