Dear Dad, I’ve tried to ignore the words swirling in my head, but they’ve been screaming at me for too long. Why weren’t you there when I needed you most When the nights got too cold, and the silence felt like it could crush me, your absence was louder than any goodbye. I looked for you in every shadow, in every lie I told myself, pretending I didn’t need you. But the truth is, I did. I still do, even if I don’t want to admit it. I wonder if you ever think about me, if you ever feel the weight of what you left behind. Because I carry it every day, and I’m tired of pretending it doesn’t hurt.