“I love you my whole wide world.”

My daughter, Jennifer, was just three years old when she said this, to me! I love her my whole wide world, then and now. Today, she is 45.

I’ve been a writer for some time and, no surprise, I read a lot. I’ve yet to come across an expression of complete love that says it with as much comprehensive clarity as my daughter’s words. 

When your child lets you know he or she loves you, it is as moving as it gets. Expressions like these are the jewels of childhood.

Like any three-year-old, however, Jennifer had the remarkable ability to hear a conversation, determine what was most important to her, and openly express it. 

Example? No problem.

Once again, Jennifer was three years old when my wife (Jennifer’s stepmother) and I were driving her to her mother’s house. We had a 1979 Honda Civic at the time and during the drive we were talking about the car needing a tuneup and where best to get the tuneup.

When pulled up in front of her mom’s building, our timing was perfect because we saw her mom waiting outside for us. When Jennifer got out of the car, she kissed us goodbye and then ran to her mother, arms outstretched wide, and in a loud joyous voice declared, “Mommy! Mommy! When I grow up, I want to be a tuneup!”

 To this day it is not uncommon for the word “tuneup” to put a smile on my face to this day.

I love my daughter, Jennifer, my whole wide world.