Toby Knapp

Toby Knapp

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LIFE: Can I tell you how proud I am of our daughter?

Over on Facebook, I posted over the weekend about life... and how life... is about trying new things. Having new experiences. Embracing what is to come and letting go of fears, anxieties, whatever... and having a moment.

I know that words are often times easier than actions. Sometimes, it's not so easy to just jump off a cliff. To leap out of an airplane. To do something new... to make new friends... to meet new people...

... or to throw an axe at a target.

Over the weekend, Darrin and his wife, Taylor, both of whom have been longtime colleagues and friends of mine, asked if I wanted to go Axe throwing. I've never thrown any axes before, and so, since it was something I'd never done, and since we had the time, I said, "sure, why not."

"Is Kyla coming with," Darrin asked.

"Hey, Ky, do you want to come throw some axes with me and Mister Darrin and Taylor Shay the wife of Mister Darrin?" I asked Kyla, who was in her room doing whatever it is that 15-year-old's do on a Saturday morning in Summer.

"Um, okay I guess, question mark?" she replied.

"She's in," I told Darrin. We solidified our plans and timing for the afternoon and we went about our day. Now, in the back of my mind, I had my doubts as to whether or not Kyla would actually partake in the throwing of these axes. Sometimes, she's not always the best about doing things she hasn't done before for whatever reason, but rather than call it out, I just let it ride, determined, instead, to see what would come of what had now become a daddy-daughter adventure with friends and colleagues.

Flash forward. We get to the Axe-Throwing place. Kyla, who wasn't feeling too well, joined us for the safety briefing, but then, wanted to go chill out and have a snack, and drink some Powerade. She wasn't feeling good. In the back of my mind, I thought, "this is her move, to get out of doing something she's not too comfortable with or sure of."

Yeah, I doubted her.

So she chilled out over against the wall, sitting down Tweeting or texting or whatever she was doing while she had her snack. Darrin, Jen and I started throwing the axe with our groups... and as is the case with anything new you do, the adrenaline started pumping. Throwing this axe was strangely liberating... and so much more fun than I'd imagined.

Half an hour goes by, I call over to Kyla, "hey you want to try this?" to which she passed. We went back to throwing the axe and whatnot. A bit longer goes by, and I ask again, "Kyla, you want to get in on this?"

That's when she got up and came over...

"Sure, I guess...."

She went first into the cages with Jen to throw... because, you know, girls doing girl things together can be disarming. Her first few throws weren't that great... but then, with a bit of instruction and some guidance, Kyla started to get it. Her misses turned to hits. And before long, she was nailing the bulls-eye. Not too long after that, she and I were throwing in unison, dad and daughter, having a moment, experiencing something new... together.

See, while some may say "oh you went and threw axes with your daughter," what was actually happening was much more than just some "thing" we did. It was an experience. Something new for the two of us. Something new we experienced together. Something now, we share... and something which involved the two of us... overcoming individually, to come together so we could overcome... together.

So, I guess I wanted to share this with you because I just wanted you to know how proud I am of my daughter. It's scary to try new things. What is easy for some isn't always easy for everyone and knowing she had to internalize whatever insecurities she might have had... if she even had them... to embrace this moment with us... was, I hope, a growing process for her... just as it was a teachable moment for me...

... and a moment doing something I'd never done before... with the young woman who is the best thing I've ever been a part of. Ever.

I'm proud of you, Kyla.

#LoveDaddy


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