Tears: the letter of the father to the daughter with a syndrome of Down in day of its wedding

Paul Doherty, a famous English writer and part-time father, wrote a truly touching letter to his daughter with Down syndrome on her wedding day. We will quote the text of this message in Russian translation.

Paul Doherty's letter to his daughter

"Dear Gillian! Today will be your wedding. From now on, you and Ryan will walk through life together. This day will be the beginning of the history of your family. I do not know how likely that a girl with Down's syndrome will be able to find the love of her life and marry such a person, but I know for certain that you did it!

Now you're in your room. Together with the mother and bridesmaids you make the last preparations to look on this day especially beautiful. Your hair is already packed in a high hairstyle, revealing a thin neck. Your dress adorned with jewels (you jokingly call them "your trinkets") attracts every ray of the pre-dawn sun. Your makeup (and especially this bright lipstick) highlights your lovely features. And a smile blossoms on your face.

I'm now in the courtyard of our house, I lift my head and look up at your window. At such moments, when our hearts are filled with hope for the future, we feel especially alive. All that we have dreamed of is realized and reveals to the world an ideal purity. Happiness is real. I clearly feel it, standing under your window.

I would like to say a lot to you, but I understand that I do not have enough words ...

When you were born and when you were growing up, your mother and I were particularly worried about your progress in school. Of course, we did our best to give you a better education, we found the best teachers. We celebrated your successes, because we saw how you tried, and it deserved respect.

We did everything we could do. The only thing that remained uncontrollable to us - your relationship with your peers. We wanted other children to receive you, help you, be with you. We thought: "Should not each child's life be filled with meetings with friends, spending the night at each other's homes? What kind of childhood is this if there are no friendly birthdays and prom? Is not our daughter worthy of all this? "

I was worried about you ...

I cried the night you came down to us with my mother and sadly said: "I have no friends."

We all want our children to be happy. We want for them health and joy, we just want our children to be children. By birth's right, every child has a desire to remain a child. And I was worried about you, worried about how to be with your desire to be an ordinary little girl.

But I should not have worried ...

You were so natural when it came to communication. In elementary school you were jokingly called "mayor", because you could easily gather all the children together and something to entice them. And in high school you danced and performed on stage. For all the time that you studied in college, you could leave an indelible impression in the soul of every person you know with you.

Do you remember those things that, as prophesied to you, you can never do? You were told that you would never learn to ride a bicycle, you would not be able to go in for sports. People said that they would not take you to college, that no one would love you and you would not marry ... And now I'm looking at you in this beautiful wedding dress!

You're the best I've ever known. You are a man who can live without guile and deceit. You really know how to sympathize and always try to help. Perhaps, each of us would like to meet in the life of such a person as you.

You and Ryan are very fortunate to meet each other. I would give you the command to love him with all your heart, but it's obvious that you feel the most sincere feelings for him. I would tell you to be gentle and soft with him. But you, even without my advice, are just like that. I would like to wish you two warm friendship and mutual respect, but these feelings between you are obvious to anyone who knows you.

Ten years ago, a guy in a strict suit and with a bouquet of flowers called our door and said: "I want to invite your daughter to a graduation ball, sir." It was at that moment that I realized that your life would be complete, that she would be happy.

And now you and Ryan are taking a step into a new life. Do not be afraid of this, because together you will succeed.

And now all preparations have been completed and my little girl is coming to meet me all in white. My breath catches my breath, and the only thing I can say is, "How beautiful you look!".

But then I take myself in hand: "We must go. It's time to take this important step. "