I think this is where I’m supposed to offer up that sagely advice that will carry you through life with happiness and peace and security and dignity. But I’m pretty sure I’ve already done that a time or four.
Besides, it’s not like my wisdom and experience and knowledge and intelligence is expected to go missing when you are eighteen-and-a-day, you know. I mean, you are not going into exile… (are you?)
So rather I’ll use the opportunity of this milestone to say one thing:
Thank You.
For enriching my life beyond measure, for making me a better man, for having the strength to continue so that we might know you, for being you, and for being my daughter, thank you. I am proud to be your Dad.
Happy Eighteenth, Kid! I love you.
Live, and be ready to live.
P.S. Boys are still bad.
SubConch 
Absolutely beautiful. Please check out my post on young girls living in today’s generation. http://mylifemybubble.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/honey-what-happened-to-the-kids/
colezoe, you are too kind. It is she who is beautiful.
Liked your piece as well. So true, and so very wrong, where our society has gone. Those of us who remain with a care as to what becomes of our children, our daughters, are in a constant battle with the culture around us for the hearts and minds of our own.
For my wife and me, and we claim no expertise, an ample supply of the truth, or the ‘other side of the coin’ is at least one remedy. Maybe it is that merely showing up at the front line is primarily what it takes. I don’t know, I’m just a dad, but having great kids such as we have seems to ease the reason. :]
thanks