Some days, I remember to thank the Lord that He made me a father of two beautiful daughters
\nAnd some days, I’m just thankful the Lord gave me the financial leeway to buy my daughter a
\nbike
\nAnd one day, I found out she could ride it
\nShe rode her bike with such courage that she could be any ten year old boys ride or die chick
\nAfter numerous falls and countless calls of, “Daddy, don’t let go”
\nShe finally let go of her insecurities and pedalled as fast as she could as if her life depended on it
\nAnd it did.
\nBecause a child’s life is marked by their ability to conquer their world
\nGrowing from a baby to a young girl, my daughter doesn’t only want to dress up in diamonds and pearls
\nIn fact she tries super hard to do this thing called a pirouette which I think is some sort of ballet twirl
\nYou see children are driven towards a greater sense of independence
\nFrom their first stages it is written in their biological pages to understand themselves, their surroundings, and how to manipulate their environments
\nAnd they continue to gain greater ground of how the world is really at their fingertips if they only knew how to harness it,
\nGarnish it
\nAnd then proceed to varnish it so that it shines like a trinket given from an elderly relative or a locket passed down from grandparent’s pockets
\nAnd a parent’s job is to never let their child become one who is ignorant
\nOf the simple fact that life has many challenges but with patience, persistence, love and faith she could go anywhere, do anything
\nAnd the expansive earth will be her escape so no matter where she travels no one could call her an immigrant
\nAnd from watching my daughter blaze up and down the lane way with such determination
\nIt only took me a few considerations before I decided to make like Beyonce Knowles and take her beyond her goals with an upgrade to a new used bicycle with a slightly larger frame, and had no training wheels
\nAnd when I brought that bike home, hoping that it was the right size
\nI walked upstairs, woke her up, took her outside, and yelled, “Surprise!”
\nYou should have seen the look in her eyes
\nShe gave me the biggest missing front tooth smile about a mile wide
\nIt’s a feeling that can’t be compared to none
\nExcept for the time when the Urban Legends slam finals e was done, she jumped into my arms, crying, whispered in my ear
\n“Daddy, you won.”
\nYou see, the reality is that I will be a father for the rest of my life
\nAnd along with my wife we have both found profound joy in providing our children with their universal rights
\nThe right to be loved, the right to be hugged
\nThe right to eat sweets, the right to muddy feet
\nThe right to be fed, and the right to a warm bed
\nThe right to play tea
\nAnd the most important of these; the right to be free
\nFree as the glee that spreads across your glowing face,
\nIt’s a scene that I’ve seen from witnessing the vastness of the seas and gazing up into never ending space
\nIt is why I named you Husniyah, a name that means “Youthful Beauty”
\nSo that anywhere you go your enchanting presence will remind people to be young at heart and to live with grace
\nA name, that accentuates your inner beauty as a strong willed woman, with a heart like an oven, yet still a hijabi
\nA name with dignity so that whenever flagrant men step to you it will be their duty to treat you like royalty
\nAnd even though I missed many stages of your creeping, crawling, walking, running, jumping days
\nI hope that in some small way, I have made it up to you by being by your side when you earned your stripes on your bike
\nBecause some days, I remember to thank the Lord that He made me a father of two beautiful daughters
\nAnd on some days, I’m just glad the Lord gave me the financial leeway to buy my daughter a bike
\nAnd I pray, that you continue to live free
\nWith no human ever stealing your shine
\nCus my beautiful daughter, it doesn’t matter who you run off with in your lifetime, the memory of you, riding your first bike, will always be mine.<\/p>\n