"Daddy Issues" is this new phenomenon of boys and girls who have issues because their daddies weren't present in their lives. Well... I am definitely one of those girls, but so what? Growing up, I never thought how my dad's absence would affect me, but as I got older, it definitely started to sink in. I've been seeing many different memes that bash girls for having "daddy issues" lately, but just because your dad isn't around, doesn't mean that you're worth any less than a person with their father in their life.The media has a way of either making stuff worse or better and I definitely think it sways people's beliefs. Why does society make it seem like "daddy issues" is a bad thing? Whether, it's "daddy issues" or some other underlying self-love issue, everyone has something going on internally. In addition, many guys bash women for not having a dad or for having "daddy issues", but the thing is, men aren't exempt from daddy issues either! It's not just a female issue because what happens when a guy's dad isn't present?
As I got older, I started to feel less than my peers or feel weird around Father's Day. I'm currently a senior in college and I still feel a pit in my stomach when Dad's Weekend comes around every year because I'm that girl that has to spend time with her roommate and her dad because I don't have a dad to hang out with. I used to feel sorry for myself, but you know what, it could all be worse. There are some people that don't have parents at all, and I have a mother who loves and cares for me. I always say that I'm not bitter, but I am and it's something that I think about everyday. I'm actually angry and hurt, and I have the right to feel that way. My father lives in Newark, New Jersey, and I haven't spoken to him in years, but I'm working on forgiving him for not wanting to be in my life. It's hard, but I won't allow him to take my happiness away. His loss.
Why don't some dads want to be in their children's life? I don't think I'll ever have the answer to that question, but if you are a person that's dealing with this, just know that you are amazing....daddy issues and all.
