Yesterday afternoon I got the chance to spend some alone time with my four-year old daughter (so my wife could get some much-needed and deserved alone time of her own.) She and I went to a coffee shop and split a cookie and talked while she drew pictures. On the way there we held hands. It was perfect. But that’s not the present.

While we were sitting at the coffee shop we talked about her upcoming sleepover at her grandma’s house that night. She was super excited and telling me how she was going to help Grandma bake Pop-Pop’s favorite cookies. I told her that I was going to really miss her tonight and asked her to give me a call before she goes to bed so that I can say goodnight to her. I didn’t think much of it after that and to be honest, I didn’t even think she would remember (she is four after all).

Around 8:30pm I get a call and it’s my mother-in-law’s number on caller ID and my first thought is panic. That’s usually how my mind works, it wants me to think that there is something wrong rather than the opposite (that’s why I have to spend so much time and do a lot of work to reverse that thinking). So I answer the phone immediately expecting some type of minor emergency.

Me: Hello?!

My daughter: Hi Daddy, I wanted to call you and tell you that I love you and say goodnight.

My heart melted. I felt like I just got a call directly from an angel and I felt like everything was suddenly right with the world. I was reminded of all the good that is out there and I truly felt like the luckiest person alive. I was reminded of the beauty of someone keeping a promise and following through.

We went on to chat for a few more minutes and then when I hung up I had tears in my eyes. I truly understood what I had always heard and was completely content. I had got the best present of my life with that call and I will never forget that moment.

Happy holidays.