My Daughter’s Father’s Day Letter

June 15, 2025 · by Eric Goldman · in Family & Friends

[My daughter wrote this for her “Creative Non-Fiction” course at UO. #BringTissues. #ProudDad]

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#ProudDaughter

Dear Dad,

I see you out there, feeding the stray cats when you think no one is looking. I see you, running around the house once the sun starts setting. You yell at everyone: “time is ticking!” and hustle us out the door to admire the colors. You take pictures of the sunset with your ancient Panasonic camera, and complain that it doesn’t capture the bright pinks you so love. I see you, pointing out the orange California poppies that bloom every spring. You appreciate them whenever you see them.

In many ways, you taught me how to love. Your love is daily, hard work that you start from the moment you wake up at 6 AM every morning. You would drive me to school in the morning before work. You would nicely cut up fruit from the Farmer’s Market and put it in a bowl next to my homework and call it a “cornucopia.” You would insist on taking high quality photos of every piece of art I’ve ever made. Your Zoom background is my watercolor of baby Yoda, peeking above your shoulder for everyone to see. You post all of my life events with a #ProudDad hashtag (and usually a few emojis).

I know that you never got cornucopias growing up. Or a dad. So, you invented being Dad. You invented cornucopias and our annual Dina-Daddy trips. You woke up at 6 AM every morning to get started on loving me because you didn’t get a blueprint of how fathers should love their daughters.

I definitely don’t wake up at 6 AM. But once I do get up, preferably around noon, I love just like you. I work hard. I put full effort into every aspect of my life. I notice the tulips planted around the University of Oregon campus for spring term. Whenever I get the pleasure of seeing a cat, I pet them gently and take photos of them from every angle. I see how every day is new and different; an opportunity to love. Your catchphrase: “Another beautiful day in California.” I live in Oregon now. “Another beautiful day in Oregon.”

I love you, Dad.

Love,

Dina