Hey, “Dad,” You Need To Hear This

I’ve said it before, and I will say it again – being a father isn’t easy. For the record, neither is being a mother. Someone sent this to me after a phone conversation recently. I was saying how exhausted I was and how I felt like I wasn’t doing enough to make a difference, among other things. This arrived in an e-mail and I wish I knew who wrote it to give them credit.

I know I really needed to read this, and if you are a dad – you may need it, too:

Dear Dad, You’re Not Failing

Dear Dad,

You’re tired. I know.
You’ve been trying to be everything for everyone — the helper, the provider, the rock, the fixer.

And some days you go to bed thinking you didn’t do enough. That you weren’t present enough. That you raised your voice. That you weren’t patient.

But I need you to hear this:
You’re not failing.

You are learning. You are adjusting. You are loving — deeply, even if you don’t always know how to say it.

I’ve seen you hold your child like you’re afraid to break them.
I’ve seen you make the bottle with half-open eyes at 3 a.m.
I’ve seen you come home from a hard day and still ask, “How can I help?”

You’re not failing. You’re trying.
And that counts for everything.

You are the quiet hero in the background.
The steady beat in the family rhythm.

So please — give yourself the grace you offer to everyone else.

You are more than enough.
You are doing a great job.
And you are loved.