[ WP ] `` Not all strength can be seen ''

The father held onto his daughter ’ s feeble hand. He followed the hospital cart along with the doctors and nurses. The hallway was alive with chatter. Medical tools and instruments could be heard in the nearby operating rooms, but to the father all the sounds were distant and far. He saw the doctor who would be operating on his only child walk calmly into the room at the end of the hall. Each step he took felt heavier, and heavier. He looked at his daughter, trying to remember her face in case it was the last time. She was bandaged up, and had tubes attached to her in all sorts of places. Her eyes, like her mother ’ s, were a lovely shade of green. When he made eye contact she gave a faint smile and squeezed his hand a little harder. 
 
 The father returned with a smile. He wanted to say something encouraging, but it was if there was a large frog in his throat and no words could escape. He held back his tears as he thought about his little girl. She had been through so much in her life. Surgeries since she was three years old, having to go to school on a computer, never knowing real friends, losing her mother when she was six. The father felt guilty and helpless, wishing he could have taken all those burdens from her so she could have a ‘ normal ’ life. 
 
 The got to the operation room ’ s door. It had some so quick, the father was shocked when a hand gently pressed on his chest. “ We ’ ve got it from here, Mr. Peterson. Just relax we ’ ll be out shortly. ” He stopped and watched as his daughter was carted further into the operating room. She reached up her hand and gave a thumbs up. He stood there until the operation room ’ s swinging doors stopped swaying, and his sight to the room was lost. A hospital assistant grabbed him and took him to the waiting area. 
 
 He sat on the chair with his head in his hands. Left alone to think he thought of something he wanted to say, ‘ I love Jasmine, you are so strong. Not all strength can be seen, and even though it may not look it now. You are the strongest person I ’ ve ever met. I love you so much. ’ He picked up his head and vowed he would tell this to her when she comes out of the surgery. 
 
 The surgery was supposed to last three hours. At the four-hour mark, he grew restless and began to pace the waiting area. The hospital assistant just watched, knowing nothing she could say would relax the nervous father. An hour later one of the nurses emerged into the room. She had some blood on her scrubs, and she was smiling. “ Mr. Peterson, Jasmine did wonderfully. We removed all of the tumor and we expect she will make a full recovery. ” The father didn ’ t quite know what to say, he fell to his knees and began to cry. Except for the first time in years, his tears would be one of joy. 

