To the people who will one day break my daughters' hearts,

These are my girls.  My flesh and blood, walking on their own two feet, unique and beautiful people.  And, one day, you will wander by and decide to stay awhile.  It'll be great and you and I will hopefully be friends and get along great.  We will all hope to make it a lifelong union - you, her, and distantly me.

Unfortunately, there's a chance you will break her heart.  Or she will decimate yours.  Either way, you and my girl will break up.  It will be sad for both of you, and maybe even for me.

Maybe she will be the one at fault and maybe she won't.  Maybe you will have destroyed who she was as a person or maybe you won't.  Maybe it will be fast and loud and maybe it will be drawn out and bitter.

Either way, you will be on the outside.

Doesn't matter if you and I have bonded over cars or fishing or the color of the blissful morning sky.  Won't matter if she set your house on fire or snuck off with your brother or robbed your bank at gunpoint.

I will be on her side.  

Because there is absolutely nothing anyone could do to turn me against my daughters and toward a stranger.  Nothing.

She is mine, for more than better or worse richer or poorer in sickness and in health.

She is my daughter.  Nothing comes between that and certainly not some man who broke her into a million pieces, neglected his children and destroyed their peace.  Nothing.

I can promise you this from where I sit this morning, regardless of the backs turned to me today.

No, I can promise this because of them.