A Day At The Beach With Daddy

Ellie woke up one morning thinking about her big project. She needed to paint a giant cardboard castle for her school play. Paints, brushes, and a glittery crown sat in a pile, ready for her to start. But as she grabbed her brush, she stopped. Remembering her promise to spend time with her dad, she hurried into his bedroom and pulled her little red rocking chair close to his desk.

“Hi, Daddy. It’s me, checking in,” Ellie said aloud. She flipped open the book he kept on his desk and began to read. She loved reading Daddy’s writings, and even though she couldn’t recall his voice, she imagined how he might have spoken the words.

As she read, her mind wandered back to her castle. Should the flag be blue or red?

“Red is a good color,” Daddy replied. “But I’m also partial to blue. The sky is blue, but your heart is red. You pick.”

She remembered something her mom had said: “Ellie, it’s not important what you do with Daddy. He wants to spend time with you. Don’t think of your moments together as part of your weekly reading time. You’ll have enough schoolwork for that. Just enjoy his book and listen for his voice.”

Ellie flipped the pages of Daddy’s book and thought about something he used to tell her all the time: “Bless the Lord and forget not all his benefits. He forgives you. He heals you. He crowns you with love and mercy. He satisfies you with good things.”

Ellie closed her eyes and imagined sitting with Daddy on the sand at the beach. Their feet were in the water, bottoms damp from where the incoming tide rushed up. She imagined how Daddy would build her castle. She wanted to make him proud. Red and blue. We’ll use both colors.

“Good choice.”

Closing the book, she leaned her head against the edge of his chair. Surprised at the tears, she remained for a moment, eyes blurred as she focused on the red cardinal on a branch and the blue sky beyond.

Back to work. Thumbing away tears, she jumped up, grabbed her supplies, and returned to her project.

Today, Ellie’s beach castle is displayed on a wall at her school: a red cardinal flutters above the castle’s rampart. Blue sky stretches to the edges of the paper. Though her works sell for thousands of dollars, A Day At The Beach With Daddy remains her most treasured work. For Ellie, that was the morning she learned the value of spending time with her father and the blessings that come from his quiet presence. 

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Retired or Retread? – Make the most of your life! Jim Reeverts is a former U.S. National Park guide and the author of Jordan Pond, Mount Desert Island, Maine.