This is a letter to you, dad, a letter to say all that I never said to you before. This is my way of saying thank you. Thank you for shaping me into who I am today.

You used to call me your princess, make up stories where I was the queen, and tell me I was the girl you loved more than the world. You forced me to learn that people don’t always mean what they say. I didn’t learn much from you, but here I am, saying thank you for what you did teach me.

Thank you for showing me how a man should not treat a woman. Real men don’t treat their family the way you treated ours. Real men don’t abuse their family mentally, emotionally, and physically. You are not a real man, and I know that now. Real men don’t act the way you did.

Thank you for helping me determine what kind of man I want to marry, a man completely unlike you. You showed me that I want to marry a man that respects me constantly, loves me endlessly, and treats me like the princess you once said I am.

Thank you, for showing your true colors sooner than later. Because of that, my mother finally realized what she deserved. Thank you for leading my mom to my stepdad. Without you showing your true self, my mom wouldn’t have met the love of her life, and the man who became my dad. The man who took me in and treats me with love and kindness. Even better, he’s the man who constantly shows me how a father should treat his daughter. He’s the man who showed me how a man should treat his wife.

Thank you, dad, for making me stronger. Without your harsh words, your constant ridicule, and the pain you’ve caused me, I would not be the woman I am today. I am stronger than I’ve ever been. I have become my own person. I know what I want and what I need in life.

Thank you for showing me that even though a person may appear okay, no one ever knows what is happening behind the smile. Thank you for showing me how painful depression is, so that I can have an understanding of how people feel. Thank you for breaking my heart, only to make it stronger.

So again, I thank you for everything.