For years, I carried a heavy burden in my heart—a burning desire for revenge against my father. He had abandoned me when I needed him the most, and I swore I would never forgive him. But when life finally gave me the opportunity to make him suffer the way I did, I hesitated.
One evening, I heard a knock at my door. I wasn’t expecting anyone. When I opened it, my heart nearly stopped. Standing in front of me was the man I hadn’t seen in years. My father.
“Hi, son,” he said hesitantly. His voice was rough, tired. “I’m sorry to show up like this. I tried calling, but you never answered.”
I crossed my arms, my body tense. “Yeah? What do you want?”
He shifted uncomfortably. “I was wondering if maybe I could stay with you for a while… I don’t have a place right now, so…”
I laughed bitterly. “You can stay. But you have to pay rent.”
He looked down, his expression filled with shame. “I don’t have any money… And you’re the only person who can help me.”
I clenched my fists, my heart tightening. “I don’t care,” I spat. “You can live on the streets for all I care. I wish God had taken you instead of Mom!”
Before he could respond, I slammed the door in his face. My hands were shaking, my breath uneven. When I turned around, Julie, my wife, was standing there. Her eyes were wide with shock.
“Nick!” she exclaimed. “What was that? That was your father! How could you—?”
“You don’t understand, Julie,” I interrupted her. “You have no idea what I went through because of that man.”
“Then tell me,” she said, her voice softer now. “Help me understand.”
I exhaled sharply. My past came flooding back, and I could feel the same anger I had felt all those years ago.
“It all started when I turned eighteen,” I began. “Mom had passed away two years earlier, and Dad was still trying to figure things out. He threw me a surprise birthday party. Everything seemed normal—until the party ended. That’s when he sat me down and asked me about my ‘living situation.’”
Julie furrowed her brows. “Living situation?”
“Yeah,” I said bitterly. “I didn’t get it either. But then he told me that now that I was an adult, I needed to start paying rent if I wanted to stay in the house.”
Julie’s eyes widened. “What?”
“That’s what I said!” I shook my head. “I was furious! Pay rent? To my own father? I thought it was some kind of joke. But no, he was serious. He said it was time for me to grow up.”
Julie frowned. “Maybe he just wanted you to be independent—”
“Independent?” I scoffed. “I told him I’d rather live in a college dorm than pay him rent, and do you know what he said? He said he couldn’t afford to send me to college. That I had to pay for it myself, either by getting a job or taking out a loan.”
Julie stayed quiet, absorbing my words.
“I felt betrayed, Julie. I expected support. Instead, he pushed me out like I was some stray dog. That’s why I left. I never looked back.”
Julie sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “Nick… your father reached out to me a few days ago.”
I stared at her. “What?”
She bit her lip. “I gave him our address.”
I stepped back, disbelief flooding through me. “You what?”
“I thought you two should talk! It’s been years, Nick. Maybe it’s time to forgive.”
“No,” I said firmly. “I work 24/7 just to make sure we can have a good life. And him? He threw me out and left me to fend for myself. He doesn’t deserve forgiveness.”
Julie took my hand. “Honey, he’s your father.”
“So what? That doesn’t change anything.” I pulled away. “Only my mom truly loved me. She would have never kicked me out like he did.”
Julie sighed. “Nick… do you even know his side of the story? You lost your mom, but he lost his wife. Have you ever thought about how that affected him?”
I stiffened. “I don’t want to hear it.”
Julie’s eyes filled with tears. We rarely fought, and I knew she was only trying to help. But I wasn’t ready. I needed air.
I grabbed my jacket and left.
As I walked through the cold night, my mind swirled with emotions. I wandered until I reached a park. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a man sleeping on a bench.
At first, I thought he was just another homeless person. But then I looked again.
My heart dropped.
“Dad?” I whispered.
I stepped closer and gently shook his shoulder. “Dad, wake up!”
He stirred, blinking up at me. “Nick…? Is that you?”
“Yes, Dad,” I said, my voice cracking. “I’m really sorry. I just—”
Tears welled in his eyes. “I just wanted you to do well in life.”
I swallowed hard. “Shh. It’s okay.”
He broke down in sobs. “I thought if I made you pay rent, you would be forced to move on. I didn’t want you to get stuck, Nick. You were just sitting on the couch all day. I was scared for you.”
I listened, really listened, for the first time.
“I couldn’t afford your college because I put all my money into my business. I was going to give it to you, Nick, but I lost everything.”
Suddenly, Julie’s words echoed in my mind. His side of the story.
I looked at the broken man in front of me. My father. And I finally understood.
“No, Dad,” I said softly. “If it wasn’t for you, I would have stayed on that couch forever. You pushed me, and because of that, I built a life for myself.”
His lips trembled. “I know I hurt you, son. Can you forgive me?”
I took a deep breath. “No, Dad… you should forgive me.”
Something inside me shifted. For years, I had carried this anger, letting it eat away at me. But at that moment, I let it go. I finally forgave him.
“I’ve held onto this for too long,” I admitted. “But now, I understand.” I reached out my hand. “Come on, Dad. Let’s go home.”
He hesitated. “You really mean that?”
I smiled. “Yeah. We have a lot to talk about.”
Tears streamed down his face. “Thank you, son. I love you. I’ve always loved you.”
I grinned. “And guess what?”
“What?”
“You’re going to be a grandfather.”
His eyes widened. “Wait… Julie’s pregnant?!”
I nodded, and for the first time in years, we laughed together.
Lesson from this story:
We should always appreciate our parents. They’re human too, and they make mistakes. We never truly know the sacrifices they made for us.
Forgiveness sets you free. Nick held onto his anger for years, but the moment he forgave, he felt lighter. Holding onto grudges only hurts us. Letting go heals.
