My Lighthouse

Have you seen the movie Dan in Real Life? It is one of my absolute favorites! It's a heartwarming story about a father of 3 girls navigating the ups and downs of parenthood, love, and life after losing his wife. This movie makes me laugh, makes me cry, makes me hopeful, makes me sing along - it's just a really great flick!

The movie is set in New England and begins with Dan's family (his parents, several siblings, nieces, and nephews) coming together to the family lake house to close it up for the winter. In one scene Dan takes his youngest daughter and 2 of her cousins on an outing. They end up in front of an old lighthouse and the following conversation ensues:

Dan: You know why we have lighthouses?

Child: Because they're neat?

Dan: That's right, yes. And also because they help when it's dark out. They help keep boats safe, and they help us from crashing into rocks. Because, when you're out there, and you're being tossed back and forth by those big dark waves, and you think that you'll never feel land again, and that you could just split into a million pieces, and just sink down all the way down into the deep, it's the light that keeps us on course. It's the light.

Whenever I watch this scene (and I can't tell you how many times I've watched this movie!) I can't help but think about my father. He is undoubtedly the lighthouse in my life. Throughout my life, and especially these past 18 months, whenever I have felt close to crashing into the rocks, splitting into a million pieces, and sinking, it's been my father's love, support, and guidance that have kept me on course. From making a tutu of which I was so proud as a child to his sincere wisdom and advice, he has never let me down. He always seems to know what to say while also knowing that sometimes, there just aren't any words at all.

Dad, you'll never know how much you mean to me and I how much I appreciate your love, support, and guidance. I am, by far the luckiest daughter in the world. So thank you. Thank you for everything. Thank you for being My Lighthouse.

My Apologies to Susan & Betty

On the drive to school this morning, I was explaining to my 4 year old how Mommy was going to start working soon.

(Sidebar: A couple with which my parents golf knew I was looking for a job and asked for my resume. The husband passed my resume along to his boss. Last Wednesday I interviewed; received an offer on Thursday, and took the job on Friday. I'm going to start my training a handful of days this month and will hit the ground running, working full time January 4th. It's a sales assistant position for a steel processing company. I'm eager to get back into the working world and especially eager to earn a paycheck again!)

Back to the car ride: I finish telling my son that in a few weeks, Mommy will be going to work everyday while he and older brother are at school. Without missing a beat, he giggles and blurts out, "You're silly, Mommy. Girls don't work!" I'm positive I heard Susan B. Anthony and Betty Friedan rolling over in their graves. I reminded him that his teacher was a girl and she was working everyday. He responded, "She's not working, she's at school." I haven't yet decided if I pity or envy my little boy's future wife. In my sweet son's defense, I have been a stay-at-home mother since he was born. And now I'm about to shatter his sheltered view of the world.

I'm pretty sure my going back to work won't be that upsetting for him, especially when he realizes we're finally able to see movies at "the real movies" (as the boys like to call it) instead the dollar theatre.