To my dad, I never knew you. You never knew me. Even so, without you I wouldn't be here. To be honest, I wouldn't exist. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to become a dad. It's an experience I wouldn't trade for anything.
I wouldn't know the feeling of tiny newborn fingers wrapping around my thumb. I wouldn't know the joy of seeing my baby girl take her first steps, or the excitement on her face when she sees me walk in the door from a long day at work. Those emotions, those experiences, those are true moments I live for.
I grew up not knowing you, and you lived life not knowing I existed. The truth is... I may not have had you in my life, but I did have others who filled your role. They showed me wisdom, connection, and correction. I learned what it meant to fall down and be picked back up. I also learned that if I fall, I can force myself back up.
Beyond all that, I learned what it meant to call on my heavenly Father. I've called on God when I needed direction. I've called on God when I felt lost and alone. He's been my Rock, my Shield, and my Hope.
Today, on Father's Day, I want to assure you that I don't hate you, I'm not mad or upset. Instead, I want to thank you, because if it wasn't for you I wouldn't exist, my daughter wouldn't exist and I wouldn't have experienced what it means to be a dad.
The son you never knew, Eric