I’m glad I waited too, so I wouldn’t be writing back-to-back posts on Beyonce. Trust, I’ve heard your cries for variety and I’m stepping it up in the New Year.
On Monday, just two days after the birth of his daughter, Jay-Z released “Glory,” a tribute song and celebration of his precious baby girl. “Word’s can’t describe the feeling, for real/ Maybe paint the sky blue/ My greatest creation was you/ Glory.”
“Hard not to spoil you rotten/ looking like a little me,” Jay rapped. “The most beautifulest thing in this world/ Daddy’s little girl.”
I’m not even a parent, but my heart swelled at these lyrics. Ugh!
The bond between fathers and daughters has been on my mind a lot lately. My father is recently retired and with his new-found freedom, he’s become my defacto consigliere and makes a point to call me daily to check up, as if something has changed drastically from the day before. I was… uh, not so fond of it, but answered, because I thought he got something out of it. That is, until he went on vacay and I didn’t hear from him for two days, and freaked out. Where. Is. My. Daddy?!!
I was telling a good friend, in her 40s, about this, and she related her own story of still being “Daddy’s Girl.” Several years ago there was a black out in New York City. She panicked, concerned about her parents who were up in age and lived alone in Harlem. She schlepped her way over to them, from one side of Harlem to the other, only to get to them and find her elderly father waiting in the street outside the building for her. He had no doubt she was coming, but it was his job to protect her when she got there.
Every girl, or woman, should be so lucky to have a Daddy, not just a father, but a “Daddy,” a man who treats her, at any age, like she’s the most precious thing in the world. And every child should be so fortunate to have a parent who loves them they way Stevie loves Aisha, Lauryn loves Zion, and now, as Jay loves Blue.
Demetria L. Lucas is the author of “A Belle in Brooklyn: The Go-to Girl for Advice on Living Your Best Single Life” (Atria) in stores now. Follow her on Twitter @abelleinbk