Dear Daddy

I grew up respecting you and fearing you all at the same time. I grew up your little girl and knew we would have a bond for life. I miss the times we had days together… I often think back on the times we would sit in our canoe during the day and just fish.  You have never been a man of many words but I always knew you loved me. Everything you did for me was out of love. I never went without growing up because of how hard you worked to give me a better life.

I love you was not a phrase used often but I knew deep down you loved me. So now that I am 26 years old and goign out on my own…I finally hear you say I love you and I cry everytime I see it written on your emails.
I brag about you often and tell everyone here that I am just like you. Our personalities…our actions…everyone here knows how much you mean to me. Then I got to thinking…everyone here knows how much you mean to me but do you?

Daddy I love you more than anything and I never want to dissapoint you. I want you to be proud of me. I know this past year has not been easy for you to love me and yet you still do. You say you are proud of me and want the best for me.
I am proud to brag to everyone I meet how my daddy worked in the coal mines for so many years to support his family. I am proud to tell everybody that I am just like you. I am proud to tell anyone that asks are you close with your dad…and I say I couldn't ask for a better father. When I hear people say they don't know or talk to their dad's it breaks my heart to think if we never spoke again how different my life would be.

I going to miss sitting on the front porch with you every evening and I going miss helping you with your projects around the house. I going to miss laughing so hard my sides hurt and I going miss standing in the river with you while we throw our fishin lines out.
You are a great dad and I am proud to tell everybody about you.
I love you daddy.