deardad，
todayiwasattheshoppingmallandispentalotoftimereadingthefather’sdaycards.theyallhadaspecialmessagethatinsomewayoranotherreflectedhowifeelaboutyou.yetasiselectedandread,andselectedandreadagain,itoccurredtomethatnotasinglecardsaidwhatireallywanttosaytoyou.
you’llsoonbe84yearsold,dad,andyouandiwillhavehad55father’sdaystogether.ihaven’talwaysbeenwithyouonfather’sdaynorhaveibeenwithyouforallofyourbirthdays.itwasn’tbecauseididn’twanttobewithyou.i’vealwaysbeenwithyouinmyheartbutsometimeslifegetsintheway.
youknow,dad,therewasatimewhenwewerenotonlyseparatedbythegenerationgapbutcompletelypolarizedbyit.youstoodononesideofthegreatdivideandiontheother,fatheranddaughtersplitapartbyageandexperience,opinions,hairstyles,cosmetics,clothing,curfews,music,andboys.
thefather-daughterduelof’54shiftedintohighgearwhenyoutaughtmetodrivetheolddodgeandidecidediwoulddrivethe‘54chevywhetheryoulikeditornot.thepoliceofficerwhoescortedmehomeafteryoureportedthechevystolenlateoneeveningwastooyoungtounderstandfather-daughterpoliticsandtoooldtohavemuchtolerancefora snotty 16 year old. you were so decent about it, dad, and i think that was probably what made it the worst night of my life.