Sometimes It Feels Good to be a Dad

A little while ago, Pan wanted to talk to me. She told me about things that have been bothering her. Misunderstandings that resulted in her getting mad at us (which she never shows and she always feels guilty about… I so wish we could take credit for this girl). Concerns she has about her future.

Pan is in 11th grade, and plans on going to university in a couple years to become a teacher. But she’s afraid of how much it will cost. “I’d like to go to some place like Payap, but it’s too expensive,” she told me. “There are other universities that are cheaper.”

She also said, “Sometimes I’m afraid to ask you for money for school. You always want to know what it’s for, and I wonder if you trust me.”

I smiled when she told me this and explained that I just need to know what I’m giving her money for so I can keep track, and if needed, report it. It has nothing to do with her. Though I understand why she’d think it does; not every kid is as trustworthy as Pan.

As for university costs, I assured her, “Your education is very important to us. We’d go without food, if we had to, to get you a good education. But don’t worry, because it won’t even come to that. We have money, and if someday we don’t, we know a bunch of people who would be more than happy to help pay for you.” (In fact, my dad said this very thing just a few days before this. I told Pan so.)

The next day we had a family devotion/worship/prayer time. Pan shared how happy she was to know she was taken care of — that even though it doesn’t always seem that way (those were my words), she is very important to us.

Sometimes I forget that all it takes to love is a little time talking. Sometimes we all forget that, I think.

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