My 4yo daughter brought this to me the other day and said, “Here’s my Tiny Portrait daddy.”  I was distracted by work, bills, dinner, and other hurdles people and parents face on a daily basis.  I wasn’t paying attention so she piped up again, “Daddy I said here’s my Tiny Portrait!”  I turned my attention to her and my burdened countenance broke, my heart lightened, and I witnessed one of the most beautiful experiences of being a dad – and being human.  A moment when someone you love does something for the sole purpose of  participating in your life.  “Who is it?” I asked.  “Meeeeee” she gleefully replied with a smile that lit up the room – and my heart.

In that moment I was reminded that love and happiness can be products of something incredibly simple:  Include the ones you love in something unexpected.  Whether it’s a simple note, a surprise dance move, or a Tiny Portrait, taking the time to do something out of the ordinary for the ones we love can provide us with the greatest gifts of all.

Thank you Rose.  I love being your dad.

Monte