ANZAC Day Public Holiday - Orange ELC
 
Her hair was up in a ponytail,
Her favourite dress tied with a bow.
Today was Daddy's Day at school,
And she couldn't wait to go.
 
But her mummy tried to tell her,
That she probably should stay home.
Why the kids might not understand,
if she went to school alone.
 
But she was not afraid;
She knew just what to say.
What to tell her classmates
Of why he wasn't there today.
 
But still her mother worried,
For her to face this day alone.
And that was why once again,
She tried to keep her daughter home.
 
But the little girl went to school
Eager to tell them all.
About a dad she never sees
A dad who never calls.
 
There were daddies along the wall in the back,
For everyone to meet.
Children squirming impatiently,
Anxious in their seats.
 
One by one the teacher called
A student from the class.
To introduce their daddy, as seconds slowly passed.
 
At last the teacher called her name,
Every child turned to stare.
Each of them was searching,
A man who wasn't there.
 
'Where's her daddy at?'
She heard a boy call out.
'She probably doesn't have one,'
Another student dared to shout.
 
 
 
The words did not offend her,
As she smiled up at her Mum.
And looked back at her teacher,
Who told her to go on.
 
And with hands behind her back,
Slowly she began to speak..
And out from the mouth of a child,
Came words incredibly unique.
 
'My Daddy couldn't be here,
Because he lives so far away.
But I know he wishes he could be,
Since this is such a special day
 
And though you cannot meet him,
I wanted you to know.
All about my daddy,
And how much he loves me so.
 
He loved to tell me stories
He taught me to ride my bike.
He surprised me with pink roses,
And taught me to fly a kite.
 
We used to share fudge sundaes,
And ice cream in a cone.
And though you cannot see him,
I’m not standing here alone
 
‘Cause my daddy’s always with me,
Even though we are apart
I know because he told me,
He’ll forever be in my heart
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Take the time...
To live and love
 
And from somewhere here in the crowd of dads,
Her mother stood in tears
Proudly watching her daughter
Who was wise beyond her years
 
“I love my daddy very much
He’s my shining star,
And if he could, he’d be here,
But heaven’s just too far”
 
But sometimes when I close my eyes,
Its like he never went away.”
And then she closed her eyes,
And saw him there that day
 
And to her mother’s amazement,
She witnessed with surprise.
A room full of daddies and children,
All starting to close their eyes
 
Who knows what they saw before them,
Who knows what they felt inside.
Perhaps for merely a second,
They saw him at her side.
 
 'I know you're with me Daddy,'
To the silence she called out.
And what happened next made believers,
Of those once filled with doubt.
 
Not one in that room could explain it,
For each of their eyes had been closed.
But there on the desk beside her,
Was a fragrant long-stemmed rose.
 
And a child was blessed, if only for a moment,
By the love of her shining star.
And given the gift of believing,
That heaven is never too far.