Guest Post from Gabby's Daddy, Comedian Mike Goodwin
This is my beautiful daughter attending her first prom. I’ve had a number of family members and friends ask:
How do you feel about your little girl going to the prom?
How does it feel knowing your little girl is growing up?
I will answer that question, but first I have a question for you.
How my times do you think I attended my high school proms?
None. I didn’t go to the prom. I know you find it hard to believe a suave, debonair dad like myself would not be the Prom King, much less not attend the prom.
So I have pretty ambivalent feelings concerning the prom.
On one hand, I was excited for my daughter and her special night of sweaty teenage dancing. On the other hand I was sad because it dredged up feelings I had placed in an adolescent time capsule many, many years ago.
Life has gradually been informing me that my little girl is transitioning into a woman right before my eyes. For starters, I can no longer throw her in the air and catch her with ease. I can’t even throw her book bag in the air without fear of throwing my back out.
Her Sweet Sixteen birthday party was a gut punch to my little girl narrative. She was gorgeous at her sweaty teenage gathering. And there were yucky boys there. That she invited. (Body blow!)
But the moment I was clear a new sheriff was in town happened the summer before her ninth grade year. I cracked an innocuous joke and my giggling quickly changed to Dad tears. Here’s a recap of the conversation.
Me: So Gabrielle…. Are you ready for the ninth grade?
Gabrielle: (pauses intently) Dad, are YOU ready for me to go to the ninth grade?
Me internally: NOOOOOO!!!!!!
In that moment, I knew everything had changed.
Honestly it’s bittersweet. I have complete confidence in the woman my daughter is becoming. She is such a good human. She is driven. She is thoughtful. She has a good head on her shoulders. My daughter loves God. My daughter loves to dance. And most importantly, my daughter loves to laugh. So when I saw her in her prom dress my heart was beaming with joy and I was honored to be her dad. And I also hoped she wore extra deodorant to the formal sweaty teenage shindig.