TO THOSE WHO HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO THEIR DAD FOR DECADES ALREADY

My life has been an open book to many. But for the benefit of those who don't know me personally, let me begin by telling you that I am one of those who have been born out of wedlock. For this reason, I grew up in the custody of my grandparents who have been good to me all this time.

When I was a kid back then, my Dad frequently paid me a visit but as I grew older I have been seeing him less and less for reasons I do not know or safe to say, I didn't bother knowing. If I remember it correctly, I was seven back then when I last saw his guise. It was not until I was in 4th Year High School that he again showed up. You can just imagine how happy I was to finally see him again. Until high school graduation came, when I was called to deliver my Valedictory Address, he was the first person I looked for in the huge crowd I was facing, I was dying to tell him that all of those were for him. Yes, all I need during that moment was for him to be proud of my achievement, but sadly, he was nowhere to be found. I cannot put into words how disappointed I was of him that time, suffice to say that he was indeed the first man to break my heart. Since then, for any number of valid reasons, I cut all the communications I had with him.

Then 2017 Christmas came. One of my cousins invited me to come over. I was a hesitant at first to give in to the invitation but then I realized life's too short to live in hatred. I thought to myself that perhaps it is about time I put an end to my struggle to overcome the great confusion and emotional turmoil brought about by my constant effort to maintain some semblance of a relationship with my father, half brothers, titos and titas and cousins.

The family is only broken when you sever the ties in your heart.

Grudges are only for those who believe they are owed something. Great is the person who is capable of forgiving.