It's in my experience that there is nothing more precious than the bond between a father and a daughter. Since it's easy to hum "Butterfly Kisses" on a day like this (how cliche is that?), I present to you a different song about fathers and daughters: Steven Curtis Chapman's "Cinderella."
According to a video post on his Youtube channel (it begins at the 4:22 mark), Chapman came up with the idea to write this song after a frustrating night of trying to bathe his two youngest adopted daughters, Stevey Joy and Maria Sue. Apparently, they were still in a playful mood while Chapman was trying to get back to work writing songs. It seemed that every time he turned around, they would escape from the tub and put on their princess outfits (Snow White and, of course, Cinderella). While they were ready for the ball, Chapman was ready to put the girls in bed. When he finally finished his task, Chapman felt frustrated until he heard a voice saying "Emily Chapman," his eldest daughter's name. Chapman thought back at the time he spent with Emily and realized he was rushed her like he did with Stevey Joy and Maria Sue. At that point in time, Emily was just turning 21. Chapman realized that he shouldn't have to rush through the time spent with his family and friends and decided to write this revelation as the song "Cinderella."
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| In this family photo of the Chapmans, including Maria Sue (sitting in Steven's lap), Stevey Joy (sitting in mother Mary Beth's lap) and Emily (sitting next to her mother.) |
The song itself is similar to that of "Butterfly Kisses," in which we see a father watch his daughter grow up. In every stage of her life, the daughter can count on her father to stop what he's doing to help practice her dancing, whether it be for an imaginary ball, the prom, or her wedding. I dare you not to cry after watching the above video.
As for Chapman's daughters, Emily got married in October 2008. A few months later, Maria Sue died from her injuries after being accidentally ran over by her adoptive brother. In the months afterward, the Chapmans made many media appearances on shows such as Larry King Live (Part 1,2,3,4, and 5) and the 700 Club as well as publications such as People Magazine, discussing how their faith helped them heal after their loss. Chapman's subsequent album, Beauty Will Rise, was inspired by this event.
Considering Maria Sue's death, the message of "Cinderella" is more powerful than ever. We won't have each other for long, so make every second count. I hope you guys remember this as you spend today with your families, especially the fathers.
And if the above video didn't make you say "awww..." and cry a lot...
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