Many fathers who have teenage daughters reach rather uncomfortable stage. It is short transition between jump ropes and stuffed animals to boyfriends and dating. Girls once happy to be walking along side their fathers now instruct dear old Dad to disappear if some of her friends approach.
It is said by some that go through this, that it is merely a phase. I suppose as teenagers we all went through it, that awkward time of our life when we were becoming an individual. That time when we cared deeply how we were seen and thought about by our peers. Sadly, many people never grow out of that phase.
I once heard someone say that at age 20, we care about what people think. At age 40, we no longer care what people think about us, and at age 60 we realize nobody was thinking about us in the first place. For teenagers though, approval from their peers is important. For those fathers going through this turmoil, we must remember the ways of Tao. A rosebud does not remain rosebud forever. It blossoms and becomes beautiful flower. Would it not be selfish of one to want the rosebud to remain the same forever?
