David wrapped his big, weathered hands around her, pulling her close into his lap. In an instant, the sterile weight of the hospital room dissolved. Lily did not see a man who was sick, vulnerable, or failing to meet the demands of the world outside. She did not care about his missing paycheck or his current physical weakness. To her, he was simply Dad—the safest place in the world, her absolute favorite human being, and the center of her universe.
As Lily chattered happily about her day, pointing at the funny patterns on his hospital gown, a profound warmth washed over David. A wide, genuine smile broke across his face, lighting up his eyes for the first time in weeks. Looking down at his daughter, he realized the ultimate truth of fatherhood: no matter what the world takes away or how diminished a man might feel in his daily struggles, a father never feels incomplete when he is wrapped in the love of his children.
A Father Never Feels Incomplete Beside His Children
