Part 2 \u2013 The Flight Attendant\u2019s Shocking Words
\nWe were on the plane when my daughter whispered, \u201cDad, I think my period started!\u201d<\/p>\n
I immediately reached into my backpack and handed her the emergency sanitary pad I always carried.<\/p>\n
She took it quickly, her cheeks turning bright red.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad, please don\u2019t look at me,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n
I smiled gently.<\/p>\n
\u201cSweetheart, there\u2019s nothing to be embarrassed about. Just take your time. Everything is going to be okay.\u201d<\/p>\n
She grabbed her little bag and hurried toward the airplane bathroom.<\/p>\n
I watched her disappear behind the restroom door.<\/p>\n
My daughter, Lily, was only twelve years old. Her mother had passed away three years earlier, and since then, it had been just the two of us.<\/p>\n
I had learned to braid her hair, pack her school lunches, shop for clothes, and even understand the complicated world of teenage girls.<\/p>\n
But there was one thing I had promised myself.<\/p>\n
I would never let her feel ashamed of growing up.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why I always carried an emergency period kit in my backpack.<\/p>\n
It contained sanitary pads, wipes, spare underwear, a small plastic bag, and a little handwritten note from me.<\/p>\n
The note simply said:<\/p>\n
\u201cGrowing up is nothing to be ashamed of. You\u2019re loved, you\u2019re beautiful, and Dad is always here.\u201d<\/p>\n
I had prepared it months earlier, hoping she would never have to experience an embarrassing situation without help.<\/p>\n
But I never expected this to happen on an airplane.<\/p>\n
Five minutes passed.<\/p>\n
Then seven.<\/p>\n
Then ten.<\/p>\n
I began to worry.<\/p>\n
I looked toward the restroom, wondering whether she needed anything.<\/p>\n
Just then, a flight attendant approached my seat.<\/p>\n
She was a woman in her forties with kind eyes. Her name tag read Margaret.<\/p>\n
\u201cExcuse me, sir?\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked up.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n
She leaned slightly toward me and lowered her voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cSir, your daughter\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
My stomach tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs she okay? Did something happen?\u201d<\/p>\n
Margaret hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cCould you please come with me for a moment?\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart started racing.<\/p>\n
I unbuckled my seat belt immediately.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs she hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s physically fine, sir,\u201d Margaret replied softly. \u201cBut I think you should hear this from her.\u201d<\/p>\n
I followed her down the aisle.<\/p>\n
When we reached the restroom area, Margaret gently knocked on the door.<\/p>\n
\u201cLily, sweetheart? Your dad is here.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was silence.<\/p>\n
Then I heard my daughter\u2019s trembling voice.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m right here, baby.\u201d<\/p>\n
The door opened slightly.<\/p>\n
Lily\u2019s eyes were red.<\/p>\n
She was holding the emergency kit in one hand and something else in the other.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad, I\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n
I immediately shook my head.<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry for what?\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked down.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t know what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
I crouched slightly so we could look at each other.<\/p>\n
\u201cSweetheart, whatever happened, we can handle it together.\u201d<\/p>\n
She opened her hand.<\/p>\n
Inside was the little handwritten note I had placed in her emergency kit.<\/p>\n
But beneath it was something I hadn\u2019t seen before.<\/p>\n
A folded piece of paper.<\/p>\n
My daughter looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI found this inside the little pocket of Mom\u2019s old purse. I put it in my bag before we left.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart stopped.<\/p>\n
Her mother\u2019s purse had been sitting in our bedroom closet for three years.<\/p>\n
I swallowed hard.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s that, Lily?\u201d<\/p>\n
She unfolded the paper.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad, I think Mom wrote this for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
My hands began to shake.<\/p>\n
I recognized the handwriting immediately.<\/p>\n
It was Sarah\u2019s.<\/p>\n
My wife.<\/p>\n
The woman I had loved since I was twenty-two.<\/p>\n
The woman we had lost after a long battle with illness.<\/p>\n
I carefully took the letter.<\/p>\n
It was dated two weeks before she died.<\/p>\n
And the first line made my eyes fill with tears.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy beautiful Lily, if you\u2019re reading this, it means you\u2019re growing up\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t continue.<\/p>\n
Margaret quietly stepped back, giving us privacy.<\/p>\n
Lily touched my arm.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad, can you read it?\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded.<\/p>\n
Then I unfolded the letter completely.<\/p>\n
Part 3 \u2013 The Letter Her Mother Left Behind
\n\u201cMy beautiful Lily,<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re reading this, you\u2019re probably at an age when your body is beginning to change.<\/p>\n
I wish I could be there beside you.<\/p>\n
I wish I could help you choose your first bra, buy your first period supplies, and answer all the questions you might be too embarrassed to ask.<\/p>\n
I wish I could hold your hand and tell you that growing up is not something to fear.<\/p>\n
But if life doesn\u2019t allow me to be there, I need you to remember a few things.<\/p>\n
First, never feel ashamed of your body.<\/p>\n
Your body is not something to hide. It is something to respect and care for.<\/p>\n
Second, don\u2019t ever believe that being strong means never crying.<\/p>\n
You can cry. You can be scared. You can ask for help.<\/p>\n
And finally, never think that your father doesn\u2019t understand you.<\/p>\n
He may not always know the right words, but I promise you something.<\/p>\n
He will try.<\/p>\n
He loves you more than anything in this world.<\/p>\n
Before I met your father, I thought love was about grand gestures, expensive gifts, and beautiful promises.<\/p>\n
Then I met him.<\/p>\n
I discovered that real love is often quiet.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s someone staying awake when you\u2019re sick.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s someone making breakfast when you\u2019re too tired.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s someone learning how to take care of you even when they\u2019re afraid of getting it wrong.<\/p>\n
Your father has always been that person.<\/p>\n
So when you feel embarrassed, confused, or frightened, please don\u2019t push him away.<\/p>\n
Let him help you.<\/p>\n
And when you grow older, I hope you understand that you were the greatest gift of my life.<\/p>\n
I love you, my little girl.<\/p>\n
Always.<\/p>\n
Mom.\u201d<\/p>\n
By the time I reached the final sentence, I could barely see the words.<\/p>\n
Lily was crying.<\/p>\n
So was I.<\/p>\n
She wrapped her arms around my neck.<\/p>\n
\u201cI miss Mom, Dad.\u201d<\/p>\n
I held her tightly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI miss her too, sweetheart.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes I wish she were here.\u201d<\/p>\n
I kissed the top of her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cMe too. Every single day.\u201d<\/p>\n
She pulled back and wiped her cheeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you think she would be proud of me?\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked directly into her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cLily, your mother would be proud of you for so many reasons. Not because you\u2019re growing up, but because you\u2019re becoming the kind, brave, wonderful person she always knew you would be.\u201d<\/p>\n
She smiled through her tears.<\/p>\n
Then she whispered something that broke my heart.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad, I thought you would be embarrassed.\u201d<\/p>\n
I frowned gently.<\/p>\n
\u201cEmbarrassed? Why would I ever be embarrassed of you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I\u2019m a girl, and I didn\u2019t know what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
I took her little hands in mine.<\/p>\n
\u201cListen to me carefully. You never have to apologize for being a girl. You never have to apologize for having a period. And you never have to hide something from me just because you think I might not understand.\u201d<\/p>\n
She nodded.<\/p>\n
I continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cI might not know everything, sweetheart, but I can always listen. And if there\u2019s something I don\u2019t know, I\u2019ll learn.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the first time since she entered that airplane bathroom, she laughed.<\/p>\n
It was a small laugh, but it was the most beautiful sound I had heard all day.<\/p>\n
Part 4 \u2013 What the Flight Attendant Did Next
\nWhen we returned to our seats, Margaret was waiting near the aisle.<\/p>\n
She smiled warmly.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything all right?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lily nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes. Thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Margaret looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour daughter is very lucky to have you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I\u2019m the lucky one.\u201d<\/p>\n
Before she walked away, Margaret quietly handed Lily a small paper bag.<\/p>\n
\u201cHere you go, sweetheart. A little something from the crew.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lily looked inside.<\/p>\n
There were some sanitary pads, individually wrapped wipes, a small chocolate bar, and a bottle of water.<\/p>\n
Her eyes widened.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you!\u201d<\/p>\n
Margaret smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst periods can be surprising. We ladies have to look after one another.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lily giggled.<\/p>\n
Then Margaret looked at me and said something I would never forget.<\/p>\n
\u201cSir, I have worked on airplanes for eighteen years. I\u2019ve seen parents panic over much smaller things. But the way you handled this situation tells me something.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour daughter will grow up knowing she can come to you when life gets difficult. That\u2019s more important than you realize.\u201d<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t know what to say.<\/p>\n
I simply nodded.<\/p>\n
As Margaret walked away, Lily leaned against my shoulder.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, sweetheart?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan I ask you something?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnything.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan we talk about periods when we get home? I have so many questions.\u201d<\/p>\n
I smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely. We can talk about anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd maybe you can buy me some supplies?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course.\u201d<\/p>\n
She paused.<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you come with me to the store?\u201d<\/p>\n
I laughed softly.<\/p>\n
\u201cWouldn\u2019t miss it.\u201d<\/p>\n
She rested her head against my arm.<\/p>\n
A few minutes later, she fell asleep.<\/p>\n
I looked out of the airplane window.<\/p>\n
The clouds stretched endlessly beneath us.<\/p>\n
And for the first time in three years, I felt as though Sarah was somehow sitting beside us.<\/p>\n
Not physically.<\/p>\n
But in the little things.<\/p>\n
In the way Lily smiled.<\/p>\n
In the way she held her mother\u2019s letter.<\/p>\n
In the way she trusted me enough to ask for help.<\/p>\n
I quietly placed the letter back inside the emergency kit.<\/p>\n
Then I whispered:<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry, Sarah. I\u2019ve got her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Part 5 \u2013 The Surprise Waiting at Home
\nOur flight landed late that evening.<\/p>\n
Lily was exhausted, so I carried her backpack while she walked beside me through the airport.<\/p>\n
On the drive home, she was unusually quiet.<\/p>\n
Finally, she spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to do something.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we get home, can we take Mom\u2019s picture from the closet and put it somewhere in my room?\u201d<\/p>\n
I glanced at her through the rearview mirror.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course. Is there a particular picture you want?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one where she\u2019s holding me when I was a baby.\u201d<\/p>\n
I smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know exactly which one.\u201d<\/p>\n
When we arrived home, we went straight to the closet.<\/p>\n
I pulled out the old photo album and opened it on the bed.<\/p>\n
There she was.<\/p>\n
Sarah.<\/p>\n
Smiling at the camera, holding our newborn daughter against her chest.<\/p>\n
Lily carefully touched the photograph.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe looks happy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you think she knew she was going to leave us?\u201d<\/p>\n
I sat beside her.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know, sweetheart. But I know she spent every moment she had loving you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lily was silent for a moment.<\/p>\n
Then she asked:<\/p>\n
\u201cCan we put her picture next to my bed?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely.\u201d<\/p>\n
We found a beautiful frame and placed the photograph on her bedside table.<\/p>\n
Then Lily brought out her mother\u2019s letter.<\/p>\n
She placed it beside the frame.<\/p>\n
I watched her carefully.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you thinking about?\u201d<\/p>\n
She smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to keep this forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should.\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad, can I tell you something?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlways.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cToday was embarrassing at first. But then I realized something.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t have to be embarrassed about growing up. And I don\u2019t have to be scared of asking you for help.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt something tighten in my chest.<\/p>\n
I reached over and hugged her.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s right, sweetheart.\u201d<\/p>\n
She rested her head against me.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom was right about you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did she say?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat you might not always know what to do, but you\u2019ll always try.\u201d<\/p>\n
I laughed through my tears.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour mother knew me very well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Part 6 \u2013 The Morning I Understood What Fatherhood Really Meant
\nThe next morning, I woke up early.<\/p>\n
I went to the kitchen and prepared Lily\u2019s favorite breakfast: pancakes, strawberries, and a glass of orange juice.<\/p>\n
When she walked downstairs, she looked at the table and smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs this for me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho else?\u201d<\/p>\n
She sat down.<\/p>\n
After breakfast, I gave her a small gift bag.<\/p>\n
She looked confused.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad, what\u2019s this?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething I thought you might need.\u201d<\/p>\n
She opened it.<\/p>\n
Inside was a new little pouch with everything she might need during her period.<\/p>\n
There were different sizes of sanitary pads, wipes, spare underwear, a small heating pad, and a little notebook.<\/p>\n
On the front of the notebook, I had written:<\/p>\n
\u201cQuestions, Feelings, and Everything in Between.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lily laughed.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad! You really made me a period emergency kit?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, I figured I should upgrade the airplane version.\u201d<\/p>\n
She hugged me.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Then she noticed a small envelope tucked inside.<\/p>\n
She opened it.<\/p>\n
It was another handwritten note.<\/p>\n
This time, it was from me.<\/p>\n
It said:<\/p>\n
\u201cMy dear Lily,<\/p>\n
I know I cannot replace your mother.<\/p>\n
I will never pretend that I can.<\/p>\n
There are things she would have taught you in ways I never could. There are conversations where you might prefer another woman, and that\u2019s completely okay.<\/p>\n
But I want you to know something.<\/p>\n
You will never have to face growing up alone.<\/p>\n
If you need advice, I\u2019ll listen.<\/p>\n
If you need supplies, I\u2019ll buy them.<\/p>\n
If you need privacy, I\u2019ll respect it.<\/p>\n
If you need a hug, my arms are always open.<\/p>\n
And if you ever feel like the world doesn\u2019t understand you, remember that you have a father who will always stand beside you.<\/p>\n
You are not a burden.<\/p>\n
You are not an inconvenience.<\/p>\n
You are my daughter.<\/p>\n
And loving you is the easiest thing I\u2019ve ever done.<\/p>\n
Love,<\/p>\n
Dad.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lily read the note twice.<\/p>\n
Then she walked around the table and hugged me.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re the best dad in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
I smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m just trying my best.\u201d<\/p>\n
She shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, Dad. You\u2019re doing more than that.\u201d<\/p>\n
And then she said something I will remember for the rest of my life.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom would be happy that I have you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t hold back my tears.<\/p>\n
I hugged her and whispered:<\/p>\n
\u201cShe would be happy that we have each other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Part 7 \u2013 A Promise That Changed Everything
\nA few weeks passed.<\/p>\n
Lily adjusted to the changes in her body.<\/p>\n
We had several conversations, some funny, some serious, and some that made me realize just how much she was growing up.<\/p>\n
I learned about the products she preferred.<\/p>\n
She learned that she could ask questions without feeling embarrassed.<\/p>\n
And I learned that being a good father wasn\u2019t about knowing every answer.<\/p>\n
It was about making sure my daughter never felt alone while searching for one.<\/p>\n
One Saturday afternoon, I found her sitting on the floor of her bedroom, writing something in her notebook.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you writing?\u201d<\/p>\n
She quickly covered the page.<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing!\u201d<\/p>\n
I raised an eyebrow.<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing? That\u2019s a lot of writing for nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n
She laughed.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay, it\u2019s a letter.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTo whom?\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked at her mother\u2019s photograph.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom.\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cWould you like me to leave you alone?\u201d<\/p>\n
She shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. You can stay.\u201d<\/p>\n
I sat beside her.<\/p>\n
She continued writing.<\/p>\n
When she finished, she handed me the page.<\/p>\n
It read:<\/p>\n
\u201cDear Mom,<\/p>\n
Something happened on the airplane.<\/p>\n
I got my first period, and I was scared.<\/p>\n
But Dad helped me.<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t laugh.<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t get angry.<\/p>\n
He didn\u2019t make me feel strange.<\/p>\n
He just gave me what I needed and told me everything would be okay.<\/p>\n
I found your letter, too.<\/p>\n
I read it with Dad.<\/p>\n
I think you knew exactly what would happen.<\/p>\n
I wish you could have been there, but I know you would have smiled.<\/p>\n
Dad says he can\u2019t replace you.<\/p>\n
I know that.<\/p>\n
Nobody can.<\/p>\n
But he is trying to make sure I never feel alone.<\/p>\n
I think you chose a good person to be my dad.<\/p>\n
I love you.<\/p>\n
Your little girl,<\/p>\n
Lily.\u201d<\/p>\n
I read the letter quietly.<\/p>\n
Then I looked at my daughter.<\/p>\n
She was smiling.<\/p>\n
For the first time in a long while, talking about her mother didn\u2019t make the room feel heavy.<\/p>\n
It made the room feel full of love.<\/p>\n
I carefully folded the letter.<\/p>\n
\u201cWould you like to put this beside her photograph?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lily nodded.<\/p>\n
We placed it next to the frame.<\/p>\n
Then she took my hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you for being there for me, Dad.\u201d<\/p>\n
I kissed her forehead.<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you for trusting me.\u201d<\/p>\n
And that\u2019s when I understood something I wish every parent could understand.<\/p>\n
Children don\u2019t need perfect parents.<\/p>\n
They need parents who make them feel safe enough to be imperfect.<\/p>\n
They need someone who won\u2019t laugh when they ask an awkward question.<\/p>\n
Someone who won\u2019t turn their fears into jokes.<\/p>\n
Someone who will show up, even when they don\u2019t know exactly what to say.<\/p>\n
That day on the airplane began with an embarrassed little girl whispering that she had started her period.<\/p>\n
But it ended with a father and daughter discovering something much bigger.<\/p>\n
We discovered that love doesn\u2019t disappear when someone is gone.<\/p>\n
Sometimes, it continues through the people who stay.<\/p>\n
And sometimes, the smallest moments become the memories that shape a child\u2019s entire life.<\/p>\n
The last thing Lily said to me that night was something I\u2019ll never forget.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, sweetheart?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNext time something embarrassing happens, can I still tell you?\u201d<\/p>\n
I smiled and pulled her into a hug.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery single time.\u201d<\/p>\n
She closed her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood. Because you\u2019re my safe place.\u201d<\/p>\n
I held her a little tighter.<\/p>\n
And silently made a promise to her mother.<\/p>\n
I may never be able to give Lily everything she lost.<\/p>\n
But I will spend the rest of my life making sure she never doubts how deeply she is loved.<\/p>\n
THE END.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Part 2 \u2013 The Flight Attendant\u2019s Shocking Words We were on the plane when my daughter whispered, \u201cDad, I think my period started!\u201d I immediately reached into my backpack and … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37284,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family","category-inspiration","category-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/readingdairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/readingdairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/readingdairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readingdairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readingdairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=59611"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/readingdairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59611\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":59612,"href":"https:\/\/readingdairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59611\/revisions\/59612"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readingdairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/37284"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/readingdairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=59611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readingdairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=59611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/readingdairy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=59611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}