I never thought of myself as a daddy’s girl. To Google, a daddy's girl is a girl or woman that is attached to her father. To Google, it sounds like a girl who can't grow up, to me, it's a girl that has learned many lessons from her father. Growing up with an active father I have had lessons in my life that not everyone could have. As I continue to grow up I see multiple people slowly losing their father figure in their life. I feel overwhelmingly fortunate to have his figure in my life. Compassion, respect, patience. Three valuable lessons all learned from my father. 

Compassionate. It would have never come to my mind that my dad could teach me such a caring trait, yet he comes full of surprises. My dad has consistently been thoughtful and caring with people especially when it comes to family. As I grow up, I also see him grow up and see him without fail always helping my family through phone calls or midnight runs over to their house. He has shown me countless ways to care about family and to always be there for them or any other people that are important in your life. I have learned to have a heart as pure as gold. With him showing me this I have learned to help others more. I joined Warhawk Interact at my school to get more involved in volunteering because I know how badly our community needs it. I constantly check up on my friends when I know they need it. I try my best to be able to listen to others because sometimes that's all they need–a listening ear. 

Respect. I have learned respect through my dad by how he treats others. I watch him thank people for their service, always be polite to elders and always pay attention even when it's not the most interesting. I learned to always respect people of higher authority, and respect people just because it's the right thing to do. I will take this lesson with me throughout my life. I have learned that when you don't respect someone it will come back to haunt you. I never want to make someone feel less of themselves because I couldn't give them some simple respect. 

Patience. Throughout the years this has been the hardest to learn. As someone who is born into a generation that is known for wanting to rush and wanting everything to come right away, this was the hardest yet it was the easiest for my father, as he watched his father pass away right in front of him, yet always trying to do things for him, even though it made him lose a couple of nerves. He was able to be patient with people even when they would get right on his nerves. This is the trait that I hope to inherit more from my father. I feel especially in today's world, people like me need more patience. 

Without my dad, I don't know how I could have grown up to be the person I am right now. He has taught me more than words can explain. So maybe I am a daddy’s girl. If being a daddy’s girl means getting to spend as much time with my dad as possible and becoming a better person from it, I think I am alright with the term.