It had been ten years since my dad suddenly left, leaving my mom and me to put our broken hearts back together.
The scars were always there to remind her of the pain he had caused. Things can go wrong in life, though, and mine was about to go in a new direction.
As I was going home from work, I saw a familiar face on the side of the road: it was my dad with a little girl. As I pulled over, I could feel the shock, and my mind was racing with feelings.
Our uncomfortable silence as we drove together made the little girl’s innocence and happiness stand out against the tension between my dad and me.
Being told that she was his new daughter Sarah was a tough pill to swallow. But when I looked into her interested eyes, I saw a reflection of a kid I had left behind. At that moment, I understood that I needed to forgive not my dad, but myself.
When we went our separate ways, I felt a weight lift off my chest. No longer did I need his love or acceptance to be whole.
Being free from the chains of the past was important to me because I had my own life to live. The meeting helped them heal and reminded them that forgiving someone is a process, not a goal.
