Call Me Irresponsible

With my five-year-old daughter Amelia securely planted in her booster seat, delighted to be the sole guest of her father on a short shopping trip, I popped on my iPod and began to sing her a favorite Michael Buble’ song, “Call Me Irresponsible”. The love song is a clever play on negative characteristics and comes to a climax with the line, “But it’s undeniably true, I’m irresponsibly mad for you.” As I sang, unconcerned for what folks in cars around me were thinking, I tipped the rear view mirror down to make eye contact with Amelia. I started the song over and started singing to her.

I could sense her mind calculating why I would sing a song declaring I was irresponsible, unreliable and unpredictable. But she could bear no more when I reached the climax and sang to her, “I’m irresponsibly mad for you.” Objecting she said, “Dad, why are you mad for me, that’s not nice. Why would you say that?” Pausing the iPod I replied, “No honey, mad for you means I really love you.” “Oh,” she said; and then she seemed to fall back into thought.

Taking the iPod off pause I finished the song with her smiling. Looking up at her in the mirror I smiled back, pleased that I had in a special way communicated my affections. As we neared our destination we ran into heavier traffic, pulling my attention back to driving.

“Dad,” Amelia called from the back seat, “I’m mad about you dad,” She was clearly proud of her quick study of this new term of endearment. I simply smiled back, glad that I took the time to bring her along and thankful to the Lord for a very special moment between my daughter and me. Once again I realized that quality time, sometimes occurring in seconds, is usually found in the midst of quantity time, occurring over hours. How many times have I rushed to the store, missing the opportunity to spend time with one of my children? How many times have I discovered just how special everyday routines can be if you take time to share them with those that you love.