Dad means coming home
Dad.
The word that often starts at fear, but ends in relief.
It provides protection that is invisible.
You just always knew it
and felt it.
It was always there.
Because when that word is spoken.
it feels like the worst things are okay.
Like every storm slows down.
Every tornado pauses.
Every fire mutes itself for a minute.
And every flood drains.
It’s words that have magic.
“Dad!” for one.
“Everything would be okay, son!” for another.
that changes the ferocity of events without changing anything.
The storm still has its fury.
The tornado still wrenches its guts.
The fire waits to roar again and the
flood will flood any second now. But time has stopped.
You’re safe.
Shielded by something invisible.
You can’t tell what it is
Or where it comes from
Or that it’s even there
or was there
Till it happens.
“Dad!”
isn’t a cry for help. It’s findin