“Byyyyyyyeeeee Daddy!!! I love you!!! I will miss youuuuuu!”
The toddler’s exuberant yell echoed across the quiet street early yesterday morning as Geoff and I did our walk. Seconds later, the father appeared, carrying armloads of boxes and bags. He and I made eye contact and smiled.
“I miss those days!” I said, fondly remembering when my daughter would call out to me when I left the house.
He laughed, “Yes—especially since I will be gone for less than an hour!”
Geoff and I smiled, squeezed hands, and kept walking.
(Image: Carolyn's daughter age 2)
The child’s exuberance and palpable love for their dad lifted all our spirits and left me wondering about the power of such expressed love.
Do you send your partner off on their errands with such enthusiasm? Can you imagine the reaction if you did?
Raw expressions of love, like the one we witnessed, are powerful yet all too uncommon in the daily life of a committed couple. At some point in most relationships, the effusiveness in parting and reunions settles into a quick kiss or hug, sometimes even less. As couples settle into the routine of long-term commitments, the exuberance in greetings often fades away.
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