LETTER TO A "FATHERLESS" DAUGHTER

 

What do I say to someone who feels that her  heart has been literally ripped out of the cavity of her chest? What can I say to ease the deep pain of a shattered heart -- a pain that reverberates through your soul -- a pain that greets you every morning when you wake up? The deep hurt that was inflicted upon you was unintentional. There are two people in pain. You and your Father. 

Every daughter wants and needs to hear their Father whisper, "I love you!" -- three words that affirm her. . . three words that tell her she matters. Had you heard those words from him during your journey from childhood to womanhood, it would have made a positive impact upon your life. Every Father wants to be in his daughter's life. The decisions and mistakes that your Father made robbed him of the chance to love and care for you. He is wrestling with the decisions and mistakes he made as a young man. He is wrestling with the fact that he was not there to hear you talk about your first day at school, to plan birthday parties for you and watch you blow out the candles on your birthday cakes, and to watch you blossom into the beautiful woman that have become. And yes, you are beautiful. Beauty is within, not without. Circumstances and decisions beyond your control and which you had nothing to do with, prevented him from telling you how much he loved you and from affirming you. 

But that was the past. Let's talk about NOW . . . TODAY. If you think your Father does not think about you ... does not love you . . . does not recognize your existence, you are wrong. I understand that you cannot see or believe this. Your Father loves you and cares about you deeply. And when he thinks and speaks about you, his eyes sparkle, and a smile illuminates his face. So, why doesn't he show it? Why does he act as if you don't exist? Why is he pushing you away? Because he does not know how to tell you that he loves you and cares about you deeply. Your Father wants to be a part of your life, he just does know how to do that. You will have to teach him how to do that. 

While you and your Father cannot change the past, the two of you can do something about the present and the future. I know that you are hurting, but you must find it within your heart to forgive him. Forgiveness is not about him, it is about YOU. Forgiveness is your path to healing . . . to fulfilling your destiny on this earth . . . and to being the vibrant, brilliant, and beautiful person that you truly are. Forgiveness is the path to helping your Father become a part of your life -- something that you desperately need and want. 

There is a void in your life and in your Father's life. He needs you just as much as you need him. Find him -- send him an e-mail, call him -- tell him that you forgive him . . . that you love him . . . that you need him . . . and that he needs you. If he does not answer, don't pull away. Continue to shower him with telephone calls, voice mail messages, text messages, e-mail messages, and TWEETs that tell him: "Dad, I forgive you. I love you. I need you. I am here for you."