Having taught second grade and under for over twenty years, I have come across only three books that make me cringe when a child says “read this one!” They are Rocking Horse Christmas, The Velveteen Rabbit and Love You Forever. Although I am not a crier, these stories bring tears to my eyes. The first two books produce a lump in my throat when I read the heart break the animals go through as they lose their human children. The third book, Love You Forever, by Robert Munsch, rips at my heart differently. It is the story of a mother and son as they age together. It reminds me that no matter how grown up I am, I am always someone’s child.

I experienced this first hand New Year’s Eve when I went to visit my Daddy. We decided to go to the store. I was driving and Daddy was in the passenger seat beside me. It was a rainy afternoon as we headed to town. Now at age 50, I’ve been driving for 34 years, but at age 77, he’s been my daddy for 50.

Driving Instructions

As I saw the traffic light, that was way ahead, turn to red, I heard, “Watch that red light. Start slowin’ down. It’s a rainin’ and these roads are slick.” I admit that I tend to drive fast, but today under these conditions I wasn’t at all. Instinctively, I obeyed. I began putting on the brakes way before I normally would have.

Further on down the road I started changing lanes. He reminded me, “Ease over, Donnie Boo. Now just get in the left lane.” Really? I thought. Is he telling me how to drive? Surely not. Pulling into the parking lot I could see multiple speed bumps ahead.  “Go slow over these. I don’t see why they need so many of these things. They’re hard on a car.” So I carefully glided over each one. It’s a good thing I didn’t zoom over them like I normally do, I thought.

After shopping, we returned to the car and I buckled up. As I turned my body around to back out, Daddy turned around also and instructing said, “Just back out kinda slow, a little at a time. There ya’ go. Cut the wheel real deep. Ya’ got it.”

I looked at my boys’ faces, who were both hiding a grin. Okay, he really is telling me how to drive! I thought. I could have remarked, “I know how to drive”, but all I could do was smile. My mind drifted back to age fifteen with a new learner’s permit, hot-rolled hair, Alabama’s “Feels so Right” cassette tape playing in the green Ford LTD… And I think so had he.

      I’ll love you forever, I’ll love you for always

                                   As long as I’m living, My baby you’ll be.

—Robert Munsch