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To My First Love

Writer's picture: Anna PrangerAnna Pranger

Updated: Mar 14, 2022

“Who is this?” I asked, “Papa” the words fluttered from her cubby cheeks. Yes baby you are right, that’s your papa and yet he is so much more.

As I sit here in my hammock looking across the green field the memories begin to take me back to the simple days. This is the place that built me. The trees we climbed, the creeks we crossed, and the animals we called “family.” We raced through corn fields, sun kissed by the sun, never wanting to return to our little country house we called home. The nostalgia sets in as the sun disappears behind the clouds and all I can think of is one man made many sacrifices and worked countless hours so we could call this life, this place, home. To some he’s a business man and to others he’s a cattle man, but to us he’s dad, he’s papa. Real men make sacrifices for their families everyday, yet they don’t look at it as a sacrifice they look at it as their duty. These men are the real deal. They are bred with arrogance, strong as an ox, and impossible to persuade. Yet there is a side to these men you only see when you are loved by one. They are soft, kind, and compassionate. They love fiercely and would give their own life for the sake of the ones they love. This is the depiction of my first love. I am aware that not everyone has been blessed with a dad of these sorts, but I thank God everyday that I was. When the thunder strikes, or the fear grips you as your trembling in your boots, your wedding day, or that big decision that seems impossible to make. Those are the days when those calm eyes and strong arms wrap you up and let you know “everything is going to be okay.” Only then can you truly grasp the impact our dads make in the world we live in. “Never settle baby girl because you are worth more than even you can fathom.” Those words float through my memories as I take on the world one day at a time. I find it humorous when people tell me my standards for a spouse are too high. If only they knew my dad they would know that the person who wins my heart will have some big shoes to fill. Never take these men for granted they are hard to come by. So here’s to fishing trips, ice cream runs, and gator rides. Not only has my dad painted this world, he’s stood next to me as I grabbed the brush and painted my own. I am Forever honored and forever grateful to call this life, this place, my home. As the sun sets I bring this post to a close with the simple words, maybe the small things were always the big things.


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