The role of a father has a strong impact on a daughter. Especially during her adolescence, when a young girl forms her self confidence, she relies on her father for his encouragement and support. During her growing years, a daughter establishes patterns of interactions with males, finds her comfort zone, and develops a self image that is largely based on the relationship she has had with her father.

As a daughter, I can only wish that my Father had done many things with me while I was growing up. I feel that he and I both missed so very much by not having a close and warm relationship. Instead, throughout my life, I carried the scars of the vast emotional void, the lack of understanding, that existed between my Father and I.

My Father passed away last year. Thankfully, he and I had a wonderful bonding experience only four days prior to his death. Lying in his hospital bed, my Father smiled as he looked deeply into my eyes, while telling me over and over again, how much he loved me. "I love you, I love you," he repeated again, and again. As he was squeezing my hand very tightly, I, too, expressed my love and my appreciation to him. I spoke to him through a torrent of tears, shed from my pure joy. Then and there, I felt an amazing surge of warmth covering me, sheltering me from any harm. It was such sweet sincerity, this unique feeling of peace, and absolute serenity, that my Father gave to me, from what was to later become his deathbed.

Whatever differences we had in the past no longer existed. He loved me, he made sure that I knew how much he loved me. Any differences we had in the past, were washed away by those words he so generously gave me on that amazing day. I left the hospital later that night. I was not at all the same person who had entered it earlier that day.

When Dad died, I understood him more than ever before. He had reached out to me, giving me the most incredible gift of my life, before his passing. Since his death, I have felt his love daily. I will always remember our special time together, that very moment when he gave me those words that came from his heart. My father has left me with a sense of security that will grow and continue to give me peace. It was time for him to go, as he well knew. But, he didn't leave without giving me the biggest gift he had ever bestowed upon me in my life. Because of what happened that day, I will always know how much he loved me.

There's a wish list that I have of all of the things that

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