This is not your typical "Dear John" letter. I'm not a distressed wife who is too impatient to wait for her husband, who's been gone at war, and is breaking off the marriage. This letter is something different. Brace yourselves because it's about to get real.

To Whom it May Concern:

I am writing this to formally regret to tell you that I, your daughter, who you fail to claim, am officially done.

I'm done trying to be a part of your life that you obviously don't want me to be a part of. I'm done crying because of the lack of a father-daughter relationship. I'm done blaming myself for not being good enough to be a part of your new family. I'm done blaming my mother for the distance between you and I, because in all reality, everything she's told me and warned me about has been right.

I never understood why you wouldn't get the chance to get to know your daughter, the real me.

Well I am a junior, computer science major at one of the top HBCUs in the country, Tuskegee University. I am a strong, black woman who just so happens to be, gay.

And you know, for years I thought that's why you stopped calling.

It's a shame you missed out on my life , because I am sure that in the future, I will be doing big things.

And I'm not writing this for an apology, or attention, or for you to feel bad. I'm writing this to say ...

I forgive you.

So, if you ever do stumble across this letter, please know that I am the woman I am today because of you. So I want to thank you. Thank you for making me strong enough to know that I don't need anyone's love to become successful. Thank you for giving me lessons on how a real parent should be. Thank you for making me, me.. literally.

Regards,

Your long lost child