Extra | A Letter Written to Father by Their Grown-Up Child

Dear Dad,

Hello.

I’m not really sure if you can see this letter.
Mom said that when you left, I was still very young—so young that I could hardly remember your face.
But I know you.
I see you in her stories, and in my own memories.

I know you once held me, comforted me, taught me to walk, and even taught me not to be afraid of falling the first time I rode a bike.
I never asked if it hurt you, but I know you were always there when I needed you.
Back then, I was small and only knew how to rely on you; now that I’ve grown up, I understand—
The love you left behind is my most precious treasure.

Once, I asked Mom, “Why did Dad leave so early?”
She just smiled and said, “When he left, he left you for the future.”
I understood.
It wasn’t regret—it was a trust.
Through his life, you taught me: to live on isn’t just for yourself, it’s also for the people you love.

Dad, I don’t blame you for leaving.
Because I know your departure was to teach us to cherish each other, to live with intention.
I also understand that your life, though short, was complete—complete in teaching me what love is, and what strength is.

Sometimes, I sit by the window, looking at the night sky, thinking of you.
I remember Mom holding me and laughing when she was young, and I remember the words she once whispered:
“No matter what happens, your dad wants you to live happily.”

I will try my best, Dad.
I will carry your gentleness and strength forward.
I will live well, and I will love well.
Because I know—that’s what you hoped I would do.

Thank you, Dad.
Thank you for having been a part of my life.
I will carry your love with me, always moving forward.

Forever your child,
—Written on some day after I had grown up