A Letter To My Dad About Everything He’s Missed
Through the years, there have been countless moments — both big and small — that you’ve been absent for. Birthdays, graduations, holidays, and everyday occurrences that shape the fabric of our lives have passed by without your presence. In those moments, your absence was palpable, a silent ache that lingered in the air. There were celebrations where your absence cast a shadow over the joyous occasion, leaving behind a bittersweet aftertaste. There were milestones where your guidance and support were sorely missed, leaving me to navigate the complexities of life on my own. And there were ordinary days where I longed for nothing more than your company, your laughter, and your wisdom.
But amidst the pain of your absence, there are also moments of warmth and love that I hold onto dearly. Memories of times when you were there — the sound of your laughter, the warmth of your embrace, the wisdom of your words — serve as a reminder of the bond that exists between us, however fractured it may be. As I reflect on everything you’ve missed, I am filled with a mixture of emotions — longing, sadness, forgiveness, and hope. Longing for the father-daughter/son relationship that we could have had, sadness for the moments that you missed out on, forgiveness for the times you weren’t there, and hope for the possibility of reconciliation and renewal.
