Dear Eric,
I know you’re experiencing pain, anger, frustration and so many other emotions when you look at your friends interacting with their fathers. I understand that your father decided to leave when you were little and that you will never get to experience that same father-son bond yourself. Take time to step back and try to process these feelings instead of keeping them trapped inside. Talk about it to someone. You’re going to take that pain and anger and turn it into kindness towards others. You’re going to make a promise to yourself that when you have a child, they will never have to feel the pain of a parent leaving them. You promise that you’ll give them all the love that you have – every. single. day. You’re starting to feel a weight come over you that doesn’t seem like it’s ever going away – this is what we call depression. There’s going to be a period in your life where you can’t imagine yourself making it past the age of 18. You will – and I’m proof of that. It’s going to be the hardest thing you ever have to do but you’re going to fight this war inside of you. At times it’s going to feel like you’re taking steps backwards instead of forwards, and you know what? That’s okay. It’s a process. You’re going to learn to love yourself. You can do this.
Love,
Eric
