A Turning Point

I was about five years old when my mother re-married. He was walking into a very tough situation and was very brave for doing so. My two older sisters AM (7 years old) and mommak (12 years old) dealt with this change a little differently than I did. To me, he was my DAD! I even tired calling him that, but since everyone else called him Joe, it just stuck. He and I did many bonding activities through my youth. Hiking trips, T-ball games, and home repairs. But as I got older, he didn't know how to connect with me. We couldn't just take a ride and visit model homes on a Saturday morning. I was in high school then college and was just too busy. We had grown dramatically apart. My mother's decision to separate from my step-father this past winter added to the distance.
He contacted me in December to have dinner and talk. I was happy to hear from him. I was proud of my mother for ablitly to do what was right for her, but I was also afriad I would lose ANOTHER father. We met for dinner and it quickly turned into an uncomfortable situation. He was asking me questions about my mother and if I ever saw the flaws in him that she saw. He was a different man, sad and a little disillusioned. Needless to say it was a very long dinner and I I hadn't seen him since.
I sent him a Father's Day letter and picture. In the letter I told him of my plans to move and my goals once there. He then called to set up one last outing together before I left. I was a little nervous, but I knew it was the right thing to do. I'm very glad I went. We took an informative cruise around the harbor and had dinner at a local seafood place (somewhere a friend of his from work said was good). When we were there he gave me a letter he tired to send in response to my Father's Day letter. For some reason it was sent back to him.
He was never the kind of man that displayed his emotions on his shoulder and he NEVER signed a birthday card, letter or even on left a message with anything other than Joe. But this letter was different. He wrote the following, and notice how he signed it.



Thank you for recognizing me on Father's Day and the picture.
I miss you already BUT I am happy for you
I know you will be successful, you always are
I am relieved knowing you have a family to assist you
I miss you (SAID THAT BEFORE)
I want you to be careful
I want to protect you
I am starting to remember you as a little girl
I am blessed. Having the cutest girl in the world in my memory
I remember the bee sting at the park
I remember the allergy shots
I remember T-Ball
I miss you (SAID THAT ALREADY)
I remember the doll house we built
I remember the hikes we took
I remember raking leaves
I remember Kings Dominion
I remember so much
I love you
I miss you (SAID THAT ALREADY)


DAD



DAD!**** He finally called himself DAD! When I read that I started to cry. I wonder if this is really a turning point. I wonder if this is the start of something normal!