Alan Collier always knew he wanted to be a father.

But when his first child, Diana, was born with Down syndrome, he suddenly found himself facing a future he hadn't imagined.

He didn't know what to expect. He didn't know what kind of life Diana would have. And he certainly didn't know how much being her father would change the way he saw the world.

Over the years, Alan learned lessons he hadn't expected—about patience, accepting help, letting go of control, and discovering joy in places he might once have overlooked.

But one of the most profound lessons came through a familiar story in the Bible.

In John 9, Jesus encounters a man who was born blind. For years, Alan understood that story as one about a man receiving his sight. Then Diana came into his life, and he began to see something else.

Perhaps healing isn't always about changing someone else's circumstances.

Perhaps sometimes it's about changing the way we see.

Alan shares the heartbreaking story of Diana sitting in a chair by the front door, waiting for friends who promised to come. Some never did. But others showed up. They remembered her, included her, and made room for her in their lives.

And watching those people love his daughter changed Alan.

In this conversation, Rivers and Alan explore what it means to be a father, why accepting help can be harder than giving it, and how ordinary acts of love can change a life—including our own.

In this episode:

• The unexpected beginning of Alan's journey as Diana's father

• Why learning to accept help changed his perspective

• The surprising joy Alan discovered through Diana and her community

• How John 9 took on an entirely new meaning

• The story of the chair by the front door

• Why showing up for someone matters more than good intentions

A question to take with you:

Who in your life might be waiting for you to show up?

Because sometimes the person we think we're helping isn't the only one being changed.

The Grandpa Channel — The Stories That Connect Us All.

We believe we're all more alike than different, and that someone else's story has a way of helping us understand our own.

Explore more conversations and discover our guided reflection experience at thegrandpachannel.com.