Dear Dad,

Dad,

Once, about 9 years ago you wrote me a letter. You gave me this letter before you and mom headed home after you dropped me off at my new apartment. The day I moved out. I still have that letter to this day, still in the binder you gave it to me in. You hand wrote your letter to me and I would have done the same for this one I am now writing for you but I fear you would not be able to read it if I did. So I’m typing out my letter to you, besides I have a lot to say to you and well it would take me way too long to hand write it out.
It’s no secret dad that I did not like you at all in my teenage years. But, when I stop and think about it teenage boys don’t really get along with their dads during that time of their lives. I can tell you I don’t look forward to that time in my son’s life. I just hope he doesn’t feel the same way about me as I did you, even though I know its foolish thinking. But I hope with all my heart he feels the same way I feel about you now when he gets my age.
I’m moving across country now and I know that I will not be coming back to stay. At least not for a long time. I am an adult now and I need to do what is best for my wife and kids. Regardless of how I personally feel. To be honest with you though I do look very much forward to this move, the only thing I am going to truly miss is our weekly / bi-weekly golf games.
I have learned very much from you dad. I learned how to love my kids and put them above all ells but my wife, I learned about work ethic, I learned to love life regardless of what it throws my way (I know you may not agree with this but I learned it from watching you and all you have gone through), Iv learned to be a man, to stand up for what I believe. Most Importantly I learned to be a God fearing man, to pass on that valuable lesson to my children. I have had to do a lot of growing up over the years and I have made plenty of mistakes and always you and mom were there to pick me up and tell me “I told you so”. The one mistake I never made was throwing away and forgetting what you taught me and I never will.
You are an amazing man dad I truly believe that. I am very proud to call you dad and to boast about you. You are a great worker, a loving father, a caring son, a teacher, a mentor, and a Godly man even If you don’t feel that way much anymore, I see it in you still even after all the pain you have gone through over the last few years. I know there is a woman out there who will love you the way you deserve: Unconditional. Just have to be patient. Look at me I’m your son and I’m giving you advise! You can ignore all you want. But the point is dad that I’m proud of you, I mean that in a son to father fashion. I am VERY proud to be your son. You are one of my closest friends dad.
When you asked me to start playing golf with you the first thing that jumped into my head was a chance to get to know my dad and actually spend real time with you. I was very nervous at first but you always find ways to make me loosen up and have fun regardless of how crappy I am doing. Yes you beat me for over a year and I accepted that and despite that fact I looked forward to every game we played. That’s the first and only time I ever continued playing a game I sucked at for more then a month. I gradually got a little better and started to give you a run for your money but yet that really didn’t matter to me as much as you think. Just being out on the course with you was all I wanted to do. Dad I will miss these times more then you know. I look forward to our next game no matter how long it takes till then.
I’m going to miss you dad, more then any of my brothers or sisters or even mom. Heck I’m getting all choked up just writing this letter. I look up to you and respect you.
I love you dad and I always will.
Your Son