Fathers day, without a father

Dear Dad,

Happy Father’s day, fuck you, and thank you.

Fuck you, for leaving before I was born because a child didn’t suit your lifestyle
Fuck you, for not even giving me a chance and instead, deciding I was a burden before I even entered this world.
Fuck you, for making me feel like there was something wrong with me when I was a child, just because I was different.
Fuck you, for the camping trips you never took me on, the fish we never caught, or the footballs we never kicked.

I could have blamed you for all the hard times in my life. Instead, I thank you for everything you never did. 

Thank you for leaving instead of staying around when you didn’t want to. It taught me that a totally absent father is better than a shitty one.
Thank you for making me value my role as a father more than anything else in the world.
Thank you for teaching me that no matter what, I was going to do whatever I could to show my love to my own children, and never make them feel like a burden.
Thank you for making me feel different. It ultimately taught me just how important it is to be understanding and accepting of everyone.
Thank you for the times we never had together. Now, as a father, it makes the time I spend with my own children, that much more special and meaningful. Each and every laugh, I cherish like they are the last.

Thanks for the hard times and the lessons you taught me by leaving. It ultimately made me who I am today. You’ve missed out on more than you’ll ever know, but that’s your loss, not mine.

Happy fathers day, fuck you, and thank you.

Cam

P.S.

Thank you to the 2 mothers in my life, who took the place of my Dad. My mum and her partner, Reb. We are not a typical family, but we’re a happy one, and that’s certainly better than being normal.