My Favorite

I was having a discussion with my friends that other night about children.  More specifically about which of our children was the favorite.

 I told them this story.  I was sitting at a bar one time at PF Changs.  My daughter Brooke was bartending, my daughter Lauren and I were doing shots of Patron.  It had been a rough day.  And it was only 3:00.  The other bartender says, “So who’s the favorite child?”  Without missing a beat the girl’s both said, “Dan.”

Not true, I scoffed. But, I don’t love them equally.  They have three VERY different personalities.  You can’t love dissimilar things the same.  It’s like Pizza, Steak, and chocolate.   Love them all.  But differently.

Daniel has a tough exterior, but soft inside.  If something is bothering me he sees it before the others.  He also is the first to call me out when I am going in the wrong direction.  His loyalty, honesty and integrity amaze me.

Lauren is a people pleaser as well as a creative soul.  She is the first to try to make things better, also the first to be hurt.  When she was traveling around Europe my grandmother died and she called constantly to make sure I was all right. Her sensitive and creative soul amazes me.

Brooke is strong, independent and loving.  When she was two a friend of mine who was visiting asked if Brooke wanted to go home with her.  Brooke looked over at me and said, “Bye, bye.”  But she is fiercely protective of family.  Her artistic abilities and loving soul amaze me.

So my answer to my friends was this - My favorite is the one that needs me.  My favorite is each one, for I hold them in my heart, where I cherish the moments from their childhood, rejoicing in the exceptional people they have become.  I embrace their differences and appreciate their similarities. 

They all love animals.  Probably more than most people.  They all are appalled by injustice.  All are involved in some form of fundraising for various charities.

So I said to my friend, how, how do you choose.  The simple answer…You don’t. 

You embrace.