I have tried to find a Valentine's Day card for my daughters-in-law. I have looked in various stores without success. While I was able to find a card that I thought captured some of my love for my daughter, there was nothing that felt right for my daughters-in-law. And, then I figured out the problem.
There is no market for the love of Father-in-Law for their Daughters-in-Law. Most Father-in-Law may not love their Daughters-in-Law as I do. It probably is sufficiently unusual that card manufacturers do not bother trying to make such cards available.
Giving it more thought, I knew that the love I have is possibly more unusual in the sense that I am aware that I have no right to have such beautiful Daughters-in-Law. While my own daughter is bona fide special and undeserved gift to me, I admit that I and my wife did spend some effort with her (and our sons) to ensure that they did well during their childhood. I did nothing for our Daughters-in-Law who came to our family as a pure gift, secondary to the great insights of our sons. It is like finding a treasure on your front stairs!
During my search for an appropriate card, I kept ruminating about this dilemma resulting from my desire to express my love for these beautiful persons with the difficulty of finding a card for Valentine's Day! I know that my love is genuine and filled with the awe resulting from the gift of their presence in our lives. I did not do anything and yet, was rewarded with such precious people.
It is hard to describe a love for a daughters-in-law. Most of us know what loving a daughter is, but a love of a daughter-in-law is different, albeit, with some of the qualities. All that I know is that I have been gifted with two of them! I am a most thankful Father-in-Law!
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