I (27F) lost my dad unexpectedly three years ago. It was one of those phone calls that changes your life. We were close. Not overly emotional with each other, but I knew he loved me, and I thought I knew everything there was to know about him.
Last week, I was cleaning out a storage box of old books that used to sit on his nightstand. Most of them were classic thrillers or biographies, but there was one I had never seen before “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho. The pages were stiff like it had never been opened, but when I opened it, a folded piece of paper fell out.
It was a letter. To me.
He never dated it. It wasn’t signed. Just: “If you ever find this, it’s because I didn’t know how to say it to your face.”
He wrote about how proud he was of me for going my own way, even when it meant disappointing him. About how sorry he was for not being emotionally present when I needed him most especially after Mom left. He admitted he didn’t know how to raise a daughter, and that he was scared I’d grow up hating him. But most of all, he wrote that he hoped I would forgive him for the days he wasn’t the dad I deserved.
I didn’t even know I needed to forgive him until I read that.
I sat on the floor of my apartment sobbing for an hour, hugging this dusty paperback like it was the last piece of him I’d ever get. Maybe it is.
I didn’t know where else to put this, so here it is.
I miss you, Dad.
Comments
That’s so beautiful. I’m so glad you received this gift. Thank you for sharing.
Hugging you in my heart. The energy leading you to find that and not just put it in a Goodwill box. 💗
A very beautiful story.
You had a loving father that had problems to communicate his feelings. But you’ve lucky enough to find that letter.
did you get chills when you realized the letter was for you? How amazing
I am so glad you got that gift from your dad. What a treasure! He clearly loved you very, very much. I’m really sorry he is gone. I lost my dad too and it is a heartache I never could have imagined.
Sending you hugs and wishing you peace. 🫂
I wish I could wrap you up in a giant hug and make it all better ❤️
Very appropriate book that he put it in:
Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist is an allegorical tale of adventure, love, and dreams that explores themes of personal destiny and transformation. The story follows Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd who travels from Spain to Egypt in search of worldly treasure and his “Personal Legend”. The journey teaches readers about listening to their hearts, recognizing opportunities, and following their dreams.
The hardest thing about death, especially the unexpected ones, is all the unsaid things. The things you didn’t say, the things you wish that person got to say to you. You have been given a great gift. I’m very sorry for your loss, but I know what that letter means to you. I’m happy you found it.
Are you going to read the book?
Beautiful. Most of us are not blessed with another last word. I envy you in the nbicest way!
Your dad was a remarkable man. I’m so sorry you lost him, but so happy you found his last words to you.
So sorry for your loss. But what a gift he’s given you. ❤️🩹
Just a thought. Maybe get a picture frame done with a photo of you both and that letter to hang on your wall. A lovely visual reminder that your dad may have been stoic with emotions but he was a good man that loved you.
🫂
This sounds awful. However, I wonder why are you both in a foreign country? Did you meet there or come over together? Does this play into her unable to find work, what did she do before? Her depression? Since she’s not around friends and family? I can’t imagine it helps she’s isolated and unable to make friends because she doesn’t speak the local language.
Was she depressed before you moved? Can you move back home, or an English speaking country so she can find work, and make friends? Can you send her home?
I’m sending big hugs 🫂
interesting that i read a very similar story within the last few days about someone’s mom leaving them a message and finding it after they passed away
i hope this is real but i feel like it could be fake
I came here for tea not to cry 🥺😢
A couple of days ago you were a man and had another account. Did you transition in between posts?
this is heartbreakingly beautiful. you didn’t just find a letter. you found a part of his soul he couldn’t give you in person.
hey this is the third nearly identical story in like a week. please stop upvoting this.
I’ve also noticed these generated stories tend to have very predictable sentence structure:
complex sentence, complex sentence. simple sentence (poignant). simple sentence.
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