Why I Am Proud Of My Daughter

My daughter, Tabitha, makes me proud to be her mother every day. First of all, she usually maintains a cheerful disposition. If she is out of sorts, she might snap at her sister - or even at me - but she is quick to apologize. I suppose being proud that my daughter has a naturally pleasing personality or disposition seems unfair – after all, she really was born that way. To that, I would reply that we are all born with certain dispositions. Whether we make ourselves better or worse depends on our conscious effort every day. Everyone can get lazy; Tabitha has not. Remember, I said that when she is out of sorts, she apologizes. She could give in to her temper or bad feelings, but usually she doesn’t.

I am also proud of her because she cares about her schoolwork, and has a plan for her future. She currently wants to become a conservationist like her idol, the late Steve Irwin, was. Before this, she wanted to become a veterinarian. The common theme in her life seems to be love of animals, and creatures that are less fortunate than she is. She is only 13; she could possibly change her mind a hundred times before she graduates. The common thread is that she values higher education, and wants to excel in all that she does. I am proud that she cares.

When I think about Tabitha, I think about a smile on her face, and a laugh in her voice. I think about times when strangers have stopped me in a restaurant or in other public places and have marveled at her prodigious vocabulary and adult enunciation. I think about how eager she is to fill her mind with good things and learning. I remember that she almost did not survive being born, but now is quite the little athlete. She possesses a certain joyfulness that can be infectious at times.

I am proud of my daughter for trying to find the good in every situation – even those she finds difficult, or even hopeless. I have a feeling that whoever and whatever she decides she is going to be when she grows up, I will always be proud of Tabitha.