The phone rang and my heart broke

You decided to up and go even further away, isn't an 8-hour drive far enough for me to see you

You were supposed to be there to dry my tears, not make them appear

You were supposed to hold me tight, not ruin my night

You were supposed to love me, not leave me

You were supposed to tell me everything is okay, not have me picking up the pieces of my shattered heart

A dad is the most important person in a girls life, but all I wanted was for you to disappear and for a different person to appear.

Most girls cry because their dad got them the wrong color iPhone, while I cry that my father hardly calls me on any phone at all

Most girls miss their fathers because he is fighting for our country or running a business or driving a truck

I miss you because you abandoned me and felt I was unimportant

You made the choice that I was not worth it and that I would be better off without you

I am older, wiser and I realize now that I need you less and less

That 12-year-old girl was broken and shattered

That 12-year-old girl wanted nothing more than for you to wrap her in your arms and make her feel safe

That 12-year-old girl cried herself to sleep for weeks thinking that her father actually loved her like he was supposed to love her

Daddy's little girl spent her Christmas hating everything about it

The twinkling lights that used to bring her such joy made her angry

Songs about being home for the holidays broke her heart because her home was broken

In case you were unaware, you broke our family, you broke me

Of course, now you are trying to make it right, but I am 20 years old

That 12-year-old girl needed you and the 20-year-old me is only wishing she could go back and hold that 12-year-old girl tight

Things get better and I forgive but please know that I will never forget!