I have been happily married for over 25 years, and I owe it all to my dear father. He did not approve of any of the boyfriends I had when I started dating. He didn’t have to tell me this, because he just gave them silly or absurd nicknames, then never really acknowledged their existence. He just went along without saying much. But that nickname let me know that the current boyfriend should not be taken seriously.
Then I met my now husband, Mike. I brought him home to meet my parents, and from that point on, my dad only called Mike by his first name. He never gave him a nickname, and included him in activities like working on cars and fixing things in the garage.
I knew then that Mike was “it.” My dad’s respect for him was the gold star of approval. And now, more than 25 years later, I know dad still approves of my choice (or rather “his” choice) when he sees how happy his little girl is.
Bea
My Father Found My Husband for Me