No child wants to believe that their father isn’t a good man. About 70 percent of little kids believe that her daddy is this perfect man that will walk her down the aisle with tears in his eyes. That his daddy will hug him with pride at the altar. They all believe that their daddy is this great knight on a white horse, that will always come and save them.
This is for the other 30 percent. This is for the little girls and boys who lay in bed at night, wondering where their dad is. This is for the little girls who believe that they will never be enough, because they weren’t enough to make their father stay. This is for the little boys who have to hide their pain with bitterness or anger, because they don’t have a father to guide them. This is for the little girls that don’t have a daddy to tell them they are precious, beautiful, smart, and perfect, despite the cruel words of boys.
This is for the little boys that watch other boys toss a ball back and forth with their dad. This is for the little girls that listen to their friend’s dad call them “princess.” This is for the little boys that had to learn to shoot their first basket by themselves, and learn how to hit a ball by themselves. This is for the little girls that struggle to not cry when other kids are making Father’s Day cards. This is for the little boys that had to learn how to shave by themselves. This is for the little girls that question every guy’s motive and words.
This is for the kids that grew up hating Father’s Day, because it’s the day that reminds them sharply that they don’t have a dad that cared enough to stay. This is for those kids that live with that devastating feeling of abandonment every day. The strong kids that get up every day, despite the crippling pain of believing they are not enough. The brave kids that still love, despite the fear of being rejected like they were by their daddy.
This is for the amazing kids that don’t yet realize that they will always be enough. This is for the kids that don’t know that they are beautiful, handsome, smart, precious, and worthy of everything the world has to offer. This is for the kids that don’t yet realize that their father’s mistakes and choices do not define them or their worth.
This is for those kids. I know it hurts. I know that feeling of abandonment destroys a little piece of you every day. I know how it feels, thinking that your father doesn’t love you. I know the pain you live with every day. And I’m sorry. I’m sorry.
But I need you to know something: You are loved. You are treasured. You are precious. You are beautiful. You are handsome. You are smart. You are worthy. And you deserve so much more than what your father gave.
And one day, someone is going to see what your father didn’t and they are going to love every piece of you.