As a girl, I can personally say there is one relationship that makes every other pale in comparison: the daddy-daughter relationship. Every bride sets aside time from her most special day to dance with her dad, little toddler girls scream for daddy-daughter dates, and even John Mayer, the famous rock artist, pleads to each father “be good to your daughters,” in his song Daughters. Why is this male presence so universally important?

Stacie Hutton, who wrote Shovel of Sunshine (a prestigious Mom’s Choice Award recipient about a young girl’s love and compassion for her coal mining father), says that in her own surveys “over half of the women reported their father-daughter relationship to be the most important.” She found that in her research and from personal experience, it is because the origin of that girl’s self-esteem stems directly from the father. Hutton comments that “A mother has to be there, but a father chooses to be there.”

In one touching story, a coal mining father went into the dark hole of his work place for hours on end every single day. Each morning he would pack himself a turkey sandwich to kill the thoughts of hunger. What seemed to haunt his conscious even more was the thought of his daughter being hungry. So, he would eat only half of that sandwich he packed and save the other half for his ten year-old little girl in the dinner bucket, every single day. This girl told Hutton how those sandwiches changed her life. Her father’s sacrifice altered the way she thought about herself and the way she lived her life.

My own dad was right behind me saying, “pedal, pedal, pedal!” when I first got up on a two-wheeler bike, he was on the sideline of my first volleyball match screaming, “Go Haylee Girl!” he held my 16 year-old hand until my very first date rang the doorbell to take me off, and I watched his tears spill over as he hugged me tight before he left me for my first day of college. He even made the choice to walk to work every day so I could have the car while I was away. My Dad’s selflessness consistently and prominently inspires me to be better. He’s changed my life.

On this Father’s Day, I want to give a little credit to the men who use themselves as examples for their little girls, who wipe the tears off their daughter’s cheeks, and the ones who are “good to their daughters.” A father’s actions resonate deeper than any man can imagine.

And to my Dad, you taught me to be humble, you taught me to be genuine, and you taught me to laugh loud. My foundation of life was created through your belief in me. Every day I strive to mirror your talents and your passion for life, as does everyone around you. I love you, Dad.