Hi little one. I'm so sorry to hear about your daddy's passing. 11 years ago, I was in your shoes. My mom had to sit me down and give me the worst news I have ever heard: my daddy was gone forever. I understand all your pain, sadness, and anger; I felt that once too. If you take anything out of this, I want you to know it gets better. The pain starts to go away, the anger starts to simmer down, and the sadness slowly turns back to happiness. Your life does go on, I promise.

Know that there are three terribly hard days to get through throughout the year: Father's Day, your dad's birthday, and the anniversary of his death. Even after 11 years of mourning and growing, I still struggle to get through those three days without thinking about how much I miss my dad and how different my life would be if he was here. I think of all the great memories we made, all the funny things he said; I wish I could bottle them up so I could have them forever. Know that it's OK to think about your dad and miss him, and know that he misses you terribly too.

There will be times were you have breakdowns and have to start from square one. Sometimes the memories wash over you like a tidal wave of sadness, you feel weak and all you can do is sob. You just want to lay in bed, alone, and just think about badly you are missing your dad. This is all a part of mourning. We all go through it. These days come at random, and you may think that by breaking down and crying you are giving up on all the progress you've made. You're not. It's just a step in your healing process.

Know that those around you are there for you. Whether this be your mom, your best friend, your aunt, uncle, grandma, or grandpa, know that they are there to support you in your coping process. You'll want to push them away because "you're fine," or "you're not even upset." Don't; they can clearly see that you are a mess and they just want to be there for you. Take my advice and don't let your feelings bottle up inside you, because one day it will explode and you will be a complete wreck of emotions.

Know that there will be times you wish your dad was there. Graduation, the day you move away to college, your wedding, the day you welcome your first child into this world: you'll wish more than anything that your dad could be there with you in these moments. Just know that he is always with you. He is your Guardian Angel. He will always have your back, even if he's not on this Earth with you. Just know you are never alone because your father in Heaven will always be with his baby girl.