Dad,
I know you look at yourself
and see only failure.
You feel like a weed because of the way things are now, trampled on, stepped over.
I know you never feel good enough.
But us, we see so much more in you;
a sprout that got up,
untangled its own roots,
and grew into a mighty oak.
You can’t see that your family does not see the bad in you.
We don’t care what your hands have done or have not done.
We know that you’ve gone through hell,
but we also know that you tamed hell.
You grabbed its rotten soil and grew yourself a garden from it.
You are the backbone of our family,
and the strength of your back will never affect that.
We loved you then,
We love you now,
and we will love you no matter where the tides of life take us.
The sun is coming out soon,
and we beg you not to hide yourself away in the soil.
Face the world loud and proud,
proud of what you’ve accomplished and of who you’re becoming.
Dad, listen to me:
You are worthy of the love you’ve pushed away your whole life.