My Honorary Daughters

 

Honorary Daughters

as self-adopted by David L Lewis

In graduation card sent to one of finest young women I’ve known I wrote, “I would not want to have lived my life without our five children. And, you would not be the exceptional person you are without the parents you had. But, think I shall always wish you had been my daughter”.

Heard once that when someone loses a spouse and then re-marries they are saying they had a good experience and wanted to be in that kind of relationship again. That’s what happens when you have only one daughter, and she is such a nearly perfect daughter – you ‘adopt’ a lot of ‘god-daughters’ and now ‘god-granddaughters’. Particularly likely to be adopted are young ladies who remind you of your only real daughter, but it is not a prerequisite.

Appropriating honorary daughters and grand-daughters mostly began when we moved to Indiana in 1996. That’s when Susan went off to college and I missed her. These are some of my honorary daughters.

Honorary Daughters Met When They Were Quite Young

Snicklefritz (aka Ariana) was about two, and very shy. I called her Snicklefritz, a nickname my father called my sister. She laughed and I became ‘okay’ with her. Her grandmother said I helped her accept people and got her out of her shell. She grew up, as they do, and has children of her own now. Any named Snicklefritz?

Morgan was about three years old the only time I’ve ever talked to her. She asked me to be her grandpa. I told her I couldn’t do that, but promised her I would never forget her, and she’d always be in my heart. I’ve kept that promise, very few months have passed without her name coming to mind. That was 20+ years ago. Would like to meet her again and have her tell me she is happy with her life.

Eve was a new born when I adopted her. She is daughter of Sarah, someone else I should write about. Eve and I carried on an e-mail correspondence for a while, too bad she couldn’t read yet. From time to time she shows up on Facebook, but haven’t gotten a real pin-on-my-wall picture in some years (hint). From all appearances ‘my’ baby is becoming quite a young woman (takes after her mother).

Hanna Joy is another adopted at birth (and, yes, should write about her mother, Rachel, too). Was able to watch Hanna Joy growing up to about age 10, then came my declining health and so haven’t seen her in-person lately (another hint).

Honorary Daughters Met When They Were Young Women

Becky (aka ‘my beautiful Becky’) would take another blog to describe. Wait! I did do a blog on her. It you want to read about one of the most beautiful woman who ever lived, try this link: https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/7931195089641925137/3444113382138356952

Robin is cream, she rises to the top in any circumstances she finds herself. I once said I knew her father would be a good man because I had met his daughter (he is a very good man). Best I can say is what I told her, “…I shall always wish you had been my daughter.”

Amber is the most recent addition to my list, although by now I’ve gotten so old she had to be an honorary grand-daughter. I met her in my travels through the medical world. Somehow she makes me feel like I’m her only patient. Told three people how pretty she is, although was going by her picture because I’d only seen her wearing one of them face masks. [Father’s Note: If you’re old enough to be their grand-father, you’re old enough to tell a pretty girl she is pretty.] I simply like Amber, she reminds me of my daughter. And, if you find a medical type who really cares about you, adopt her!

In the end, like Susan and our four sons, they grow up and go on with their lives. I know I will never be part of the life of my self-adopted honorary daughters. But, my experience has been that I really do always carry them in in my heart. I think perhaps each honorary daughter comes to mind when they’re going through some trouble and need an ‘angel unawares’ to intercede with our mutual Father. But, that is a subject for a different blog.

BTW: None of this is meant to discourage having sons. But, we probably had just about every type son any parent could want. Which, also, is a subject for a different blog.

with love,

TheHonoraryDaddy!