The Downside

Many of you know my daughter Shelby. All-around enjoyable kid and ballerina.

But it's the ballerina part I want to focus on at the moment.

Her three-week summer intensive session with the American Ballet Theatre ends today. And as with all the ends of sessions with ballets, the dancers will get to express themselves with the new things they learned and the old things they improved upon. They're generally called recitals, but at this level they've upped them to "performances."

Her "performance" is today. There are two.

I will miss them as I'm in The Netherlands...mission trip.

And I know I 'm not the first dad to miss something of their child because of work, so this isn't a pity party of any sort...

...but I do wish I was there.

I'll miss seeing the intensity and passion in her face. I'll miss the graceful smile as she's working so intently but making it all look effortless. I'll miss the self-satisfied look on her face when she's finished. I'll miss giving her flowers.

I'll miss it...and I'll see it on video (which won't really do it justice, but it's the best possible alternative under the circumstances) when I return.

So, thanks, Shelby, for being so understanding of what God does with your dad.

And, break a leg, kid.

Break a leg.