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.