Midnight Stargazing

As I was cleaning up our bedroom the other day, I came across something very close to my heart. It has been in my bedside table for as long as I have had it. It may not look like much, but this small box contains a very special memory.

I was a typical distant and generally moody teenager. Most are! I did my own thing, my parents did theirs. We did not spend much quality time together. One night after spending time with some friends, I came home to find my Dad sitting in a lawn chair in the front yard. It was at least after 11pm. What in the world was he doing?.....He was star gazing and promptly invited me to join him. Honestly, my first reaction was to bolt and avoid all genuine attempt at a conversation. I was a moody teenager after all whom thought she had it all figured out without the help of her "lame" parents. With perhaps a gentle nudge from God above, I accepted the invitation and have a precious memory to carry with me for the rest of my life.

We simply sat together watching the night sky and talked. I don't particularly remember what we talked about. I just remember feeling completely at ease with my Dad. Quite a feat for a teenager and a parent. My Dad made me feel cherished and special. Our time together was not forced, but rather genuine. I loved every minute of it.

The next day when I got home from school I found a small gray velvet box on my pillow. Inside was a rock with a small note that simply said:

"Maybe another father and daughter were watching the night skies when this fell to earth 100 years ago. In Memory of our midnight stargazing and deep conversations. - August 12, 1993
I Love You, Dad"My Dad knew and still knows how to love me. I adore and respect him greatly. He may have been a busy man, working to provide for his family, but he made time for his little girl! I love you Dad!