Dear Dad

When I left for school, everyone said I would miss home.

And it’s true, sometimes I wish I was back in my own bed.

I miss my dogs, I miss the cool country air.
I miss home cooked meals and nights out with the friends that I’ve known since I was five.

I miss my cat and my mom and my brothers.

But mostly I miss you.

I miss sitting on the kitchen floor and talking about nothing and everything all at the same time.

I miss telling each other the same stories over and over,

We laughed at each other’s stories as hard at the tenth telling as we did the first.

Oh, the hours we could kill wasting time.

I miss coming home from school and knowing that whatever problem I had,

There would never be one you couldn’t help me solve.

I miss wandering around the grocery store,

Trying to figure out what to eat for dinner.

I miss arguing over which type of ice cream to buy,

Knowing good and well we would give in and get both.

I miss making a mess cooking dinner,

And hurrying to clean it up before Mom got home.

I make sure to call you at least once a week.

Most of the time I don’t even really think about it.

But old habits die hard,

And when the real world gets to be too much, there’s one voice I know I need to hear.

Because even with 500 miles between us,

There’s still not a problem you can’t help me solve.

Everyone always said I got my rebel soul from you.

And you knew I wouldn’t be happy sitting around watching the world go by.

You still cry every time I pack up my car,

But you never try and slow me down.  

“Be safe.” you’ll say as a tear falls slowly,

“And try not to cause too much trouble,” you’ll add with a smile.

You told me the world wasn’t ready for me,

That they wouldn’t even know what had hit them.

You said that I had no idea how far I could go.

That if I wanted it, to go out and get it.

And even if we might fight every now and then.

No matter what I’ll always have you.

Sometimes it’s scary out here away from home.

I miss when life was carefree and my worries were small.

You would say that you would miss talking to me.

But Daddy you had no idea that I would miss it much more.

Because of all these things I had to leave behind,

Most of all Dad I miss you.