[Applause] [Music]
my daughter is the best thing that ever
my daughter is the best thing that ever happened to me
happened to me
happened to me I call her my life’s greatest teacher
I call her my life’s greatest teacher
I call her my life’s greatest teacher she has this amazing way of keeping me
she has this amazing way of keeping me
she has this amazing way of keeping me grounded and present and playful while
grounded and present and playful while
grounded and present and playful while at the same time pushing me to imagine
at the same time pushing me to imagine
at the same time pushing me to imagine create and soar she inspires me every
create and soar she inspires me every
create and soar she inspires me every single day to be a better person and to
single day to be a better person and to
single day to be a better person and to live a better life
live a better life
live a better life I remember once about five years ago we
I remember once about five years ago we
I remember once about five years ago we were in the car on the highway on our
were in the car on the highway on our
were in the car on the highway on our way to meet her father so they could
way to meet her father so they could
way to meet her father so they could have their weekend visit and when we go
have their weekend visit and when we go
have their weekend visit and when we go on car rides we listen to the music and
on car rides we listen to the music and
on car rides we listen to the music and sing at the very top of our lungs we
sing at the very top of our lungs we
sing at the very top of our lungs we play car games we make up our own
play car games we make up our own
play car games we make up our own corney’s like jokes and we crack
corney’s like jokes and we crack
corney’s like jokes and we crack ourselves up and we have mini car dance
ourselves up and we have mini car dance
ourselves up and we have mini car dance jams so we’re in the car and we’re on
jams so we’re in the car and we’re on
jams so we’re in the car and we’re on our way and we’re having our little
our way and we’re having our little
our way and we’re having our little adventure and she’s so excited and we’re
adventure and she’s so excited and we’re
adventure and she’s so excited and we’re jamming to the music and my phone rings
jamming to the music and my phone rings
jamming to the music and my phone rings and it’s her father so I turned the
and it’s her father so I turned the
and it’s her father so I turned the music down and I take the call hello
music down and I take the call hello
music down and I take the call hello Maria am I on speaker no why what’s up
Maria am I on speaker no why what’s up
Maria am I on speaker no why what’s up Maria I’m not gonna be able to see her
Maria I’m not gonna be able to see her
Maria I’m not gonna be able to see her this weekend what are you talking about
this weekend what are you talking about
this weekend what are you talking about we’re almost there yeah Maria I know but
we’re almost there yeah Maria I know but
we’re almost there yeah Maria I know but I’m not gonna be able to see her
I’m not gonna be able to see her
I’m not gonna be able to see her something came up no no you’re not gonna
something came up no no you’re not gonna
something came up no no you’re not gonna do this to her again Maria I can’t
do this to her again Maria I can’t
do this to her again Maria I can’t something came up okay then you’re gonna
something came up okay then you’re gonna
something came up okay then you’re gonna tell her I’m gonna pass her the phone
tell her I’m gonna pass her the phone
tell her I’m gonna pass her the phone and you’re gonna tell her Maria I can’t
and you’re gonna tell her Maria I can’t
and you’re gonna tell her Maria I can’t no I’m gonna pass her the phone and
no I’m gonna pass her the phone and
no I’m gonna pass her the phone and you’re going to tell her Maria I can’t
you’re going to tell her Maria I can’t
you’re going to tell her Maria I can’t and then he
so I called him back and it rang and
so I called him back and it rang and then it went to voicemail I called again
then it went to voicemail I called again
then it went to voicemail I called again and it rang and went to voicemail
and it rang and went to voicemail
and it rang and went to voicemail I called a third time straight to
I called a third time straight to
I called a third time straight to voicemail when we go on these car trips
voicemail when we go on these car trips
voicemail when we go on these car trips she sits right behind me so that I can
she sits right behind me so that I can
she sits right behind me so that I can look up and talk to her through the
look up and talk to her through the
look up and talk to her through the rearview mirror and I look up and she’s
rearview mirror and I look up and she’s
rearview mirror and I look up and she’s singing and she’s dancing and she’s
singing and she’s dancing and she’s
singing and she’s dancing and she’s happy and I have to tell her I have to
happy and I have to tell her I have to
happy and I have to tell her I have to tell her that he’s not gonna be there
tell her that he’s not gonna be there
tell her that he’s not gonna be there again so I turn off the music
baby girl I am so sorry
baby girl I am so sorry but your dad is not gonna be able to see
but your dad is not gonna be able to see
but your dad is not gonna be able to see you this weekend and then she sat up
you this weekend and then she sat up
you this weekend and then she sat up like she didn’t hear me what yeah your
like she didn’t hear me what yeah your
like she didn’t hear me what yeah your dad just called and he said he’s not
dad just called and he said he’s not
dad just called and he said he’s not gonna be able to see you this weekend
gonna be able to see you this weekend
gonna be able to see you this weekend something came up and then she sat back
something came up and then she sat back
something came up and then she sat back and she got really quiet and we drove
and she got really quiet and we drove
and she got really quiet and we drove like that quiet for a few seconds but it
like that quiet for a few seconds but it
like that quiet for a few seconds but it felt like forever and then she said mom
felt like forever and then she said mom
felt like forever and then she said mom I need to be sad right now okay baby
I need to be sad right now okay baby
I need to be sad right now okay baby and then she started crying and it was a
and then she started crying and it was a
and then she started crying and it was a heavy and painful cry and I felt extreme
heavy and painful cry and I felt extreme
heavy and painful cry and I felt extreme anger towards him overwhelming sadness
anger towards him overwhelming sadness
anger towards him overwhelming sadness for her and terrible helplessness as her
for her and terrible helplessness as her
for her and terrible helplessness as her mother I look up and I look at my little
mother I look up and I look at my little
mother I look up and I look at my little girl and she’s covered in sadness and
girl and she’s covered in sadness and
girl and she’s covered in sadness and tissues and there’s nothing I can do I
tissues and there’s nothing I can do I
tissues and there’s nothing I can do I want to save her from this but I can’t I
want to save her from this but I can’t I
want to save her from this but I can’t I get off the highway I loop around we get
get off the highway I loop around we get
get off the highway I loop around we get back on and start heading back home and
back on and start heading back home and
back on and start heading back home and just as my mind starts to go to that
just as my mind starts to go to that
just as my mind starts to go to that really dark place
really dark place
really dark place you know that place where I’m thinking
you know that place where I’m thinking
you know that place where I’m thinking of all the things I’m gonna say to him
of all the things I’m gonna say to him
of all the things I’m gonna say to him when I do get him on the phone she
when I do get him on the phone she
when I do get him on the phone she interrupts me with a question mom what’s
interrupts me with a question mom what’s
interrupts me with a question mom what’s good about this what I know there’s
good about this what I know there’s
good about this what I know there’s something good about this but I can’t
something good about this but I can’t
something good about this but I can’t think of it
think of it
think of it can you help me so oh so it’s Friday and
can you help me so oh so it’s Friday and
can you help me so oh so it’s Friday and on Fridays you get to sleep in my bed oh
on Fridays you get to sleep in my bed oh
on Fridays you get to sleep in my bed oh that’s right I love sleeping in your bed
that’s right I love sleeping in your bed
that’s right I love sleeping in your bed it’s so big and when I roll over I don’t
it’s so big and when I roll over I don’t
it’s so big and when I roll over I don’t fall out yes Oh mom and it’s Friday that
fall out yes Oh mom and it’s Friday that
fall out yes Oh mom and it’s Friday that means it’s movie night can we watch a
means it’s movie night can we watch a
means it’s movie night can we watch a movie yeah baby it’s movie night oh and
movie yeah baby it’s movie night oh and
movie yeah baby it’s movie night oh and can we have popcorn of course I think we
can we have popcorn of course I think we
can we have popcorn of course I think we have popcorn at home Oh mom it can we
have popcorn at home Oh mom it can we
have popcorn at home Oh mom it can we invite over the cousins yeah baby will
invite over the cousins yeah baby will
invite over the cousins yeah baby will call the cousins when we get back and
call the cousins when we get back and
call the cousins when we get back and for the rest of the ride home we went
for the rest of the ride home we went
for the rest of the ride home we went back to the listing and planning and we
back to the listing and planning and we
back to the listing and planning and we went back to smiling and laughing when
went back to smiling and laughing when
went back to smiling and laughing when we got out the car as we were walking
we got out the car as we were walking
we got out the car as we were walking towards the house I couldn’t help it I
towards the house I couldn’t help it I
towards the house I couldn’t help it I had to ask baby girl you okay yeah mom
had to ask baby girl you okay yeah mom
had to ask baby girl you okay yeah mom I’m okay are you still mad at your dad
I’m okay are you still mad at your dad
I’m okay are you still mad at your dad no mom I forgive him he probably had
no mom I forgive him he probably had
no mom I forgive him he probably had something really important to do so
something really important to do so
something really important to do so later on that night after I put her to
later on that night after I put her to
later on that night after I put her to bed in my bed of course after the movies
bed in my bed of course after the movies
bed in my bed of course after the movies and the popcorn and the cousins I had to
and the popcorn and the cousins I had to
and the popcorn and the cousins I had to sit and think about that drive I mean my
sit and think about that drive I mean my
sit and think about that drive I mean my six-year-old took this potentially
six-year-old took this potentially
six-year-old took this potentially traumatic event and flipped it and
traumatic event and flipped it and
traumatic event and flipped it and decided it would be something wonderful
decided it would be something wonderful
decided it would be something wonderful she reminded me about the power of
she reminded me about the power of
she reminded me about the power of living honestly because we get to and
living honestly because we get to and
living honestly because we get to and should be honest about how we feel
should be honest about how we feel
should be honest about how we feel I need to be sad right now reminded me
I need to be sad right now reminded me
I need to be sad right now reminded me that we deserve to give ourselves room
that we deserve to give ourselves room
that we deserve to give ourselves room to process our emotions that crying is
to process our emotions that crying is
to process our emotions that crying is an incredible release snot rags and all
an incredible release snot rags and all
an incredible release snot rags and all and that when we’re done we should try
and that when we’re done we should try
and that when we’re done we should try and really be done she reminded me that
and really be done she reminded me that
and really be done she reminded me that we’re resilient and capable of taking
we’re resilient and capable of taking
we’re resilient and capable of taking control of our stories and how they will
control of our stories and how they will
control of our stories and how they will shape us we can take those stories at
shape us we can take those stories at
shape us we can take those stories at anytime and make them lessons learned
anytime and make them lessons learned
anytime and make them lessons learned and blessings counted we get to ask
and blessings counted we get to ask
and blessings counted we get to ask ourselves what’s good about this of
ourselves what’s good about this of
ourselves what’s good about this of every situation and we get to bask in
every situation and we get to bask in
every situation and we get to bask in all that we have to be grateful for
all that we have to be grateful for
all that we have to be grateful for right now and what good can come from
right now and what good can come from
right now and what good can come from everything and anything she reminded me
everything and anything she reminded me
everything and anything she reminded me that we need each other because we’re
that we need each other because we’re
that we need each other because we’re not alone in our experiences and we’re
not alone in our experiences and we’re
not alone in our experiences and we’re not alone on this planet can you help me
not alone on this planet can you help me
not alone on this planet can you help me reminded me that sometimes we get so
reminded me that sometimes we get so
reminded me that sometimes we get so caught up in our own messiness that we
caught up in our own messiness that we
caught up in our own messiness that we just can’t see the good and reaching out
just can’t see the good and reaching out
just can’t see the good and reaching out can make all the difference this story
can make all the difference this story
can make all the difference this story was a moment in time but it was a moment
was a moment in time but it was a moment
was a moment in time but it was a moment that impacted me for the better ever
that impacted me for the better ever
that impacted me for the better ever since and not just me but today my
since and not just me but today my
since and not just me but today my daughter and her father have a great
daughter and her father have a great
daughter and her father have a great relationship and I know it has a lot to
relationship and I know it has a lot to
relationship and I know it has a lot to do with who she is the questions she
do with who she is the questions she
do with who she is the questions she chooses to ask and the way she uses her
chooses to ask and the way she uses her
chooses to ask and the way she uses her stories to shape her life and I know
stories to shape her life and I know
stories to shape her life and I know that if she can do it
that if she can do it
that if she can do it we can too because you see when we
we can too because you see when we
we can too because you see when we choose to operate from a place of
choose to operate from a place of
choose to operate from a place of honesty and gratitude asking ourselves
honesty and gratitude asking ourselves
honesty and gratitude asking ourselves continuously what’s good about this
continuously what’s good about this
continuously what’s good about this what’s good about this we will find that
what’s good about this we will find that
what’s good about this we will find that the good significantly outweighs the bad
the good significantly outweighs the bad
the good significantly outweighs the bad we find connection in our vulnerability
we find connection in our vulnerability
we find connection in our vulnerability we find hope in our gratitude freedom in
we find hope in our gratitude freedom in
we find hope in our gratitude freedom in our forgiveness happy
our forgiveness happy
our forgiveness happy in our stories and we will find what my
in our stories and we will find what my
in our stories and we will find what my daughter used to call the goodest of all
daughter used to call the goodest of all
daughter used to call the goodest of all the good things we find love and what’s
the good things we find love and what’s
the good things we find love and what’s good about this
good about this
good about this well everything thank you
well everything thank you
well everything thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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