The Look

One day I saw a father give his daughter a look.
Then something inside me lept and all I knew was that all of a sudden, I wanted to be that daughter and I wanted to recieve that look.
It's hard to describe the look, it somehow contains every good thing I can think of. The look is a mixture of joy, pride, and pleasant surprise. It's a look that says "She's mine!" and at the same time it's a look that says "She's mine?" The look is more than just a smile and an eyebrow raise, there is something in the eyes. But the greatest and most amazing thing about the look is that it is full of love. This look is seen when a daughter is born, and it's seen again when a daughter wins and when a daughter is married, but there are so many other times when the look appears. It's not always noticed by the daughter, but it's there just the same.
Why do I find myself so drawn to that look? What is it about that look that I want so badly?
Maybe I haven't noticed it before, maybe I haven't seen it before, whatever it is, I know that I have to see it now.
All daughters are made to see that look, it's something that can not be replaced by any amount of flowers or letters or even words. The look gives the daughter a sense of belonging and of being loved. Every daughter longs to see that look directed at herself. Those of us who have the look don't even realize all the time that we do. The daughter doesn't even know that the look is what she wants, she knows that she has a longing but she doesn't know what it is for. If her father for whatever reason never gave her the look, she tries to replace the look with a different look, the one of the lover, but still there is something in the look of a father that is not found in the look of a lover. Perhaps the look of a lover is meant to compliment the look of a father.
Where do fathers get that look? Where does it come from? It's a reflection. The look that comes across a fathers face when he looks at his daughter is an imitation of a look that he has seen elsewhere, in the face of The Father. Those fathers that can't give the look are those fathers that do not know the look. They can't imitate what they've never seen.
Suddenly I understand. The look is not meant to stay with the father and the daughter, the look is designed to draw the daughter to the original look. Just as a reflection is good to look at there is something in the real thing that is deeper and more real, you can touch it, you can hear it, but a reflection is contained, it's almost as if there is a person stuck inside a mirror.
A fathers look is meant to be like a stepping stone, the daughter can step on that stone and be that much closer to The Fathers Look, or she can ignore the look, or she can just assume that the look is as good as it gets. But sooner or later you have to see the original, if you've been staring at a copy all your life there is still something to be desired. Do you just want a look or do you want The Look?
I've seen a look, and it leaves me wanting more, but that's good, that's what it's for, now I'm ready to dive into The Look. A look is just a teaser, a hint of something better.
Some daughters are missing that stepping stone, but The Father is good, and He always provides a new stepping stone. He provides it in a Pastor, or in an adopted father, He provides it in allowing her to see another father interacting with his daughter.
So now we've come full circle and there is the father, and there is the daughter. He gives her the look, will she seek the original? I see the look, given to her, and I find myself wanting to be her, but no, wait, there is a reason that I got to glimpse that special look, it's to draw me deeper, to The Father, to His special Look.
I'm grateful for the copy, but I must see the original. I must see The Look.