age and perspective

Back when I was in my teens, I remember just not understanding why the father of the bride would be sobbing and getting so emotional about 'giving away' his daughter on her wedding day. I thought "She's an ADULT! What's the big deal? She's an adult and now she's getting married - quit your blubbering!"

Well, now that I'm quote-unquote grown-up myself, and having watched my nieces and nephews become adults, yes, I see it now. When I look at them, I see the past when they were little children, when they were babies, and I feel so sentimental.

What brings this up is my favorite current television commercial. I believe it's by Subaru, the car-maker. It shows a father leaning in the passenger side of a car speaking to his daughter as she's about to head off somewhere, giving her pointers on how to drive safely. But the daughter is a little girl. She's so cute! "Yes, daddy!" (or something like that). And even the first time I saw this commercial, after getting caught up in seeing this little girl in the driver's seat, I think I started knowing what was going to happen next... that the daughter is actually in her teens of driving age. The father was picturing her back when she was young. Awww... so sentimental. But now I get it.

I've seen other commercials using the same premise before, but this one is so well cast and directed. And it's not even being overplayed (like some commercials that I won't mention today - maybe next time). My mother passed away several years ago, but I better understand now how she must have looked at me and I wish I could go back and somehow convey that same love back to her. I suppose, in my case anyway, it just takes longer for guys to understand a parent's love.