Her hair was up in a pony tail, her favorite dress tied with a bow. Today was Father's Day at school, and she couldn't wait to go.

But her mommy tried to tell her that she probably should stay home. Why the kids might not understand if she went to school alone.

But she was not afraid. She knew just what to say. What to tell her classmates of why he wasn't there today.

But still her mother worried for her to face this day alone. And that was why once again, she tried to keep her daughter home.

But the little girl went to school anyway, eager to talk about a dad she never sees, a dad who never calls.

In class were dads along the walls for everyone to meet, children squirming impatiently anxious in their seats.

One by one the teacher called a student from the class to introduce their dad as seconds slowly passed.

At last the teacher called her name, every child turned to stare. Each of them was searching for a man who wasn't there.

"Where's her father at?" she heard a boy call out. "She probably doesn't have one," another student dared to shout.

And from somewhere near the back she heard a father whisper, "What a deadbeat dad. I hope she doesn't have a sister."

The words did not offend her as she smiled up at her Mom. And looked back at her teacher, who nudged her to go on.

And with hands behind her back, she slowly began to speak. Out from the mouth of a child came words incredibly unique:

"My Daddy couldn't be here, because he lives so far away. But I know he wishes he could be since this is such a special day.

And though you cannot meet him, I wanted you to know . . . all about my daddy and how much he loves me so.

He loved to tell me stories. He taught me to ride my bike. He surprised me with pink roses and taught me to fly a kite.

We used to share fudge sundaes, and ice cream in a cone. And though you cannot see him, I'm not standing here alone . . .

. . . cause my daddy's always with me, even though we are apart. I know because he told me he'll forever be in my heart."

With that, her little hand reached up and lay across her chest feeling her own heartbeat beneath her favorite dress.

And from somewhere in the crowd of dads, her mother stood silently in tears, proudly watching a daughter who was wise beyond her years.

For she stood up for the love of a man no longer in her life doing what was best for her . . . doing what was right.

And when she dropped her hand back down, staring straight into the crowd, finishing with a voice so soft but its message loud and clear.

"I love my daddy very much, he's my shining star. And if he could, he'd be here but heaven's just too far.

You see, my dad was a policeman and had died this past year when airplanes ran into the towers and caused us all to fear.

But sometimes when I close my eyes, it's like he never went away." With that she closed her eyes and saw him there that day.

And to her mothers amazement, she witnessed with surprise, a room full of dads and children all shook their heads.

Who knows what they saw before them, who knows what they felt inside. Perhaps for merely a second, they saw him by her side.

"I know you're with me, Daddy," to the silence she called out. And what happened next made believers without doubt.

Then suddenly an event occurred that no one could explain. A long-stemmed rose appeared on a desktop, clear and plain.

It blessed a child, if only for a moment on that day, by the love of her shining star with a gift that heaven was really not that far.

It takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, and an entire life to forget them.