I’m sitting in my office, listening to my daughter play in the next room with a friend. My wife arranged it this afternoon with one of her friends because there aren’t any girls The Girl’s age in the neighborhood. The friend is about a year older than her and their interests don’t quite mesh. But The Girl is trying so hard to be gracious and outgoing and share… her desire to be accepted by this older girl is palpable. Perhaps it’s just me. I want her to have friends and be happy, to be accepted, so much that it makes my chest ache. Rationally, I don’t think there will ever be much of a problem with her socializing. At least, not like the problems I had. They seem to be playing fine now. The friend just needed some time to get comfortable, I think.

Of course I’m obsessing about it. I’m her father.