Thoughts while watching my daughter's back

Lately, I feel like I've been seeing my eldest daughter's back more often.

When she was a child, she was always walking ahead of me.
I would hold her hand, walk beside her, and sometimes pick her up.
I thought I had been looking at her face all this time.

But before I knew it, the time spent looking at her back became longer.

She has her own thoughts,
makes her own choices,
and rather than asking for confirmation,
she has started to 'report' things to her parents.

Until recently, I thought a father's role was to be relied upon.
But now, I'm starting to think that might be different.

No longer being relied upon
does not mean my role has ended.

Rather,
continuing to be a place where she can be okay even without relying on me
might be the form of a father.

As a child moves forward,
the parent takes a step back.

That is not a retreat,
but perhaps just a change in position.

Even so, sometimes,
I remember the feeling of her hand when she was still small.

Back then,
I never imagined this day would come.

I believe every family
has such quiet moments.

Whose back have you
seen off recently?

*The article I wrote the other day is also connected in some way.