Just over a year ago Kobe Bryant, his daughter and their friends were killed in a helicopter crash. Kobe accomplished a lot in his career. He was one of the greatest basketball players ever: he won five NBA Finals, two Olympic gold medals and several individual awards. He won an Oscar, had his own shoe and was known instantly without his last name being needed.
But Kobe's greatest legacy is that after his tragic death the #GirlDad movement began. Across the globe men showed off their pride of being the father of daughters. Across continents men were inspired to be great fathers for their daughters. Many people imagine the political movements that can make a grand difference in this world, but the grassroots change made by fathers loving their daughters can be immense.
I am a proud #GirlDad.
Two years ago on Groundhog's Day a little girl named Anna Kathleen first exited my wife's womb and entered my arms. My love for Anna has grown so much since she hurried into our lives that Saturday morning.
I like to do some call and responses with my kids. Anna's call and response with me is my blessing over her.
If you read the Old Testament you find the blessings given were often prophetic. I don't claim to be a prophet, but I do want my daughter to know what I think she is now and what I know she can become.
"Anna are you beautiful? Yes.
Are you smart? Yes.
Are you nice? Yes.
Are you brave? Yes."
I want Anna to know she's beautiful. I want her to know she was knitted together in her mother's womb by God. I don't want her to go through life questioning her physical loveliness. I want her to be a girl and a woman that exudes inner and outer beauty with confidence.
I want Anna to know she can be an intelligent woman. I don't want her to grow up with the false belief that men want dumb girls. Perhaps boys might be intimidated by smart girls, but men aren't. I want her to know that there's great reward in gaining wisdom and knowledge.
Love is kind and I want my little girl to be kind. I say 'nice' now because she understands it, but I really want her to strive to be kind. I hope Anna is a person with strong, well thought out beliefs that can be kind to those who agree with her and those who disagree with her. I want her to be a refuge for the weak and disheartened.
I want my Anna to be brave. I pray that Anna will be a woman of courage. To paraphrase C. S. Lewis, courage is not a virtue in and of itself; courage is the virtues at the testing point. I believe Anna can be brave enough to love, brave enough to be kind, brave enough to be right, brave enough to stand her ground, brave enough to be an outstanding woman that makes this world a better place.
Anna, you are beautiful, smart, nice and brave and I believe you will grow even more so and I implore you to invest in those qualities.
I wish I wasn't in self-isolation for your birthday. I wish I could give you kisses. But most of all, my wish is to get the honor in playing a role in the person God is still making you into today.
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