A Daughter Leaving Home Poem by Ray Hansell

Although she is moving out
She'll never be far away
She'll always live here with me
In my heart each day

Hopefully I taught her
The right things along the way
To help her make the right decisions
Each and every day

The most important thing
That she should know
That if things don't work out
She always has a place to go

Though she no longer lives here
This will always be her home
The warm and kindest place
Her heart has ever known

A place where the welcome mat
Is always put out
A place that she can run to
When she's filled with doubt

It's so very hard to let her go
But I know that I must
I have so much faith in her
And a world of trust

I know she's smart enough
To make it on her own
It's hard to admit
My little girl has finally grown

I hope she knows in her heart
Just how much I care
Because every time she needed me
I always tried to be there

I hope she knows if life gets tough
And she should need a friend
That she can always count on me
Until the very end

It's never very easy
Watching someone you love leave
I know that I must be strong
But silently I'll grieve

Someone who's been around
Morning, noon and night
No longer having her here
Just will not seem right

But she knows I love her
With all of my heart
And it's that love
That will never let us part


12-16-08/RJH