Dear Father,
I just wanted to let you know that I do not blame you for never being there for me throughout my life like I would have liked you to be. I do not blame you for not being the fatherly figure that I have always wanted. I do not blame you because I know that being a father must require a great deal of responsibility, so I can see why you did not step up to the plate.
You may not have noticed, but I have grown a great deal over the years into an amazing person. I can especially thank my mom for helping with that. I am doing well in college and I am pursuing a worthwhile career that will let me do great things with the rest of my life.
Thank you for indirectly showing me that not everyone is going to be there for me and that I should not settle for any guy. It took a great deal to be able to trust anyone intimately, but I now do because of the other fatherly figures that I have in my life. I want to be with someone who puts me first and will stick with me through thick and thin.
Thank you for showing me that I cannot expect anything from anyone. I must work hard for anything that I want in life in order to get it myself. Even then, I may not even get what I want.
You have taught me that no matter how much you want to change things in your life, sometimes you have to just accept them. I have accepted that you will never be a dad to me, just a father. I will never have more than your genes. It hurts, but I cannot change that. I can only change how I am as a parent towards my future child. You have taught me to be realistic and to not let my emotions get to me.
I have learned a great deal from you, whether you realize it or not. I have learned from your absence in my life who I don't want to be. You have taught me to always be there for other people and to go above and beyond especially for the people that I care about.
I used to get depressed every time that I turned on the television and saw a heartfelt father-daughter moment. I used to cry because I craved that relationship with you. I now know that I do not need that in my life. I do not have to feel bad for not being a societal norm with my family life. I have everyone that I need in my life. I have everyone that wants to care about me and support me. I am grateful every day for having them be active in my life. I will never take that for granted. Thank you for everything that you have taught me.
Best Regards,
Your Daughter
