Dear Stranger,
It seems strange to start this off like that, but I suppose it's okay since that's all I really know you as. Our relationship may have never got the chance to develop, but that doesn't mean you aren't my parent. You are. Without you, I would not be here today. So I guess that's something, right?
When I was a kid, I remember staying up late into the evening wonder what I did wrong to make you not want to be a part of my life:
Why don't they want to see me? Did I do something bad? Is it my fault?
All of these questions plagued my entire life because I was too young to truly understand that it wasn't my fault that you didn't want to see me. I know that now, though. I know that in no way was it my fault, and while I don't want to blame you, I do know that at the end of the day it was your decision. You chose not to be in my life, and that's okay. I grew up just fine without you.
Even though I hated you when I was younger for not wanting to see me, I have to tell you now that I don't have any hard feelings against you. What happened happened, and we can't go back to change it now. You weren't in my life; that is all. But now that I am older, I do not think you are a terrible person because of it: I just think you needed to figure some things out for yourself. And while I will never understand why you felt the need to figure those things out without me, I do hope that you eventually did figure it all out, whatever it was.
There is one thing that I have always wanted to tell you, though. And that is thank you! That sounds kind of strange, I'm sure. Why are you thanking me for not being in your life? Well, it's because of the fact that you weren't there to watch me grow up that I am the person I am today. I learned how to partly take care of myself from a young age. I didn't need you to be there to show me how to do certain things; I was able to figure things out on my own or with the help of others. Not having you there for me made me independent, and for that I will always thank you.
I think you are a good person, and I do not have a negative thing to say about you. While I will always wish that we could have the same type of relationship that other people have with their parents, we have a "special" kind of relationship. You are the person who contributed in bringing me into the world, but you are not the person who raised me. That credit goes to someone else. But I do give you credit for making me who I am. I am strong. I am independent. I am your child who did it all without you.
I hope that one day you and I will be able to rewrite our story. And while we cannot erase the past, we can start making the future. You deserve to know who I am even though you missed the opportunity when I was young. You deserve a second chance. And that is something I hope one day, I can give to you.
Sincerely,
The child you never got to know
