Many feelings are going through my mind as I eagerly count down the days until my daughter’s wedding. I’m proud, happy, and now sad. My daughter, who is 25, has chosen for my brother to walk her down the aisle instead of me. The news hit me like a ton of bricks, and I thought, “Why not me?”
The answer my daughter gave me was awkward and unclear; all she said was “complicated.” Something about the story made me think there was more to it. I needed answers badly, so I turned to my brother in the hopes that he could help me understand. What he told them was shocking and heartbreaking.
During our split, my ex-wife told our daughter the painful truth: I had cheated on her. The weight of the mistakes I had made in the past hit me hard. My daughter chose to have my brother walk her down the aisle, and it wasn’t just because she wanted to; it was because of things I did in the past.
I feel both sorry for my daughter’s feelings and upset that she would hold my past mistakes against me. I’ve been a bad dad sometimes, but I’ve always tried to be a good one for her. I don’t want these old problems to hurt the bond we have with each other.
As I deal with this tough situation, I’m thinking about what I can do to make things better between me and my daughter. Is there a way for me to make things right and win her trust back? If the ghosts of my past keep coming back to haunt me, they could ruin the special bond I have with my daughter.
