Public+letter

Dear Dad, You inspire me. You are the reason why I am the man I have become today. You have always taught me to be strong and to keep my head up when things aren’t going my way. You’ve always been there to help me when I was down or when I needed money or just to give some advise on things that I just didn’t understand. All those years you have helped mold me into the person I am today and now I think it’s time that I helped you. Two years ago the unthinkable happened. Grandpa passed away. When this happened I saw you in a way I have never seen you. You looked so broken and beaten down. I wish I could have said something then that would have helped you cope with it. If I knew that you were going to deal with it the way you ended up dealing with it then I would have done anything to help then. When you started drinking you turned into a totally different person. I don’t even know who you are anymore. You and mom are always fighting now and you guys never fight. You and Jacob have grown apart and you guys have always been close. Worst of all you’ve become unsupportive of my dreams and ambitions in college and that hurts more than anything else. I have always looked up to you for advice, inspiration, and comfort when things aren’t going right in my life and lately you have not shown any interest. When I call home you never want to talk and when I am at home I never see you because you are always over at your friends house drinking. I miss the days when I was younger you used to take me on long rides in the truck just to get away. I miss hunting and drinking coffee in the truck in the morning when we were trying to wake up to head out into the woods. I miss riding on your lap while you drove the lawn mower around cutting grass. I miss those days a lot now that you’ve started hitting the bottle. You and mom used to be so close. I had never seen such a happy couple. I feel blessed every day because I have both of my parents still together. There are a lot of people that don’t have that privilege and have to deal with having step parents and having to split between going to their mom and dad’s houses separately and being pressured into taking sides against one or the other. I love having that and I don’t want to lose it. Dad if you keep this pattern up all its going to do is tear our family apart and I know deep down you don’t want this. I know you miss gramps but you’ve got to move on. He’s in a much better place now and isn’t suffering from any illness or injury. Just think to yourself. When my time comes do I want my children to remember me for the man that inspired them, raised them, kept them safe, gave them strength and motivation, or do I want them to remember me as the drunk idiot that tore apart the family that was so close before. I plead with you, dad, please put down the bottle and do what you can to stop drinking. It will make things so much better at home and I will be able to respect you again. I just want my dad back so I can talk to you again without fearing you will get upset. Please do this for me. Do this for mom. Do this for Jake, but most importantly do this for yourself! Love and respect, Daren; your son