A lot of people are familiar with the idea that a girl's father is the man who loved her first, and therefore should walk her down the aisle to the next man who loves her. In order for this tradition to mean anything, however, a father must have actually taken his role seriously.
Overall, the relationship between a father and a daughter is simultaneously prized and undervalued. There are people who know they're lucky to have such a great relationship, and those who don't realize the effects of a poor relationship.
A good father teaches his daughter what she deserves from a man. He builds her up and shows her that she is beautiful and valuable - worth more than she can fully comprehend. He supports her in everything she does so she never has to question whether he'll be there for her or not.
In a good father, a girl gains confidence. She knows how much she is loved and cherished and has the right amount of self-assurance to wait for the right man in the future.
A good father also shows his daughter what kind of man to look for through his relationship with her mother. He is supposed to set a positive example for her so she knows what kind of love she wants and that a great love is a real possibility.
Plenty of girls can figure out on their own what they want in a relationship, but a strong relationship between a dad and a daughter has a huge impact. From my experience and some of my friends', I know the damaging effect an uncaring father has on a girl. While I've been a given clear example of what I don't want with a man in the future, I wish I had the father who showed me how much he loved me.
A good father - a man who completely loves his daughter and takes action to prove it - shows his daughter not only that she is worthy of a great love, but that that love exists and she need only wait for it.
