I spent years of my life wanting to take revenge on my father because he abandoned me when I needed him the most. When life gave me the chance to do it, I thought twice.
One day I opened the door and I saw someone I didn’t expect. It was my dad. I hadn’t seen him for ages. In fact, I didn’t want to.
“Hi, son. I’m sorry to come like this. I tried to call you but you didn’t answer your phone,” he told me.
“Yeah, what do you want?”
“I was wondering if maybe I could stay with you… I don’t have a place right now, so…”
I found my dad sleeping on the streets. | Source: Pexel
“You can stay. But you have to pay rent.”
“But I don’t have any money at all… and you’re the only person who can help me.”
“I don’t care,” I said, feeling my heart tighten. “You can live on the street. I wish God had taken you instead of mom!”
I slammed the door and my wife was just behind me. She was pissed with what just happened but she had no idea what I went through with this man. She pushed me to tell her, so I did.
It all started when I turned 18. My mom had passed away 2 years before that, so I think my dad was still adapting to taking both roles. He prepared a surprise birthday party and everything. After we celebrated, he asked me what I was planning to do with my living situation and I was like, what the heck?
He told me I was an adult and if I wanted to stay with him in the house, I needed to pay some kind of rent. I was so angry. Pay rent? To my own father?! What’s wrong with him?
My dad prepared a surprise birthday party for me. | Source: Pexel
He continued with his argument saying that was normal and I had to grow up. When I told him I’d rather live in a dorm in college than pay him rent, he said he couldn’t afford college and I had to pay for it myself. That I should either get a job or a loan.
“I felt betrayed, Julie. I didn’t expect that. That’s why I left,” I told my wife.
Julie said my father reached out to her a few days earlier and that she gave him our address. That’s right, she didn’t tell me anything either…
I got into an argument with my wife because of my dad. | Source: Pexel
And then, she suggested I forgive my father. “It’s been years,” she said.
But no. I wasn’t ready. I didn’t want to forgive him. He was the one who threw me out like some kind of stray dog. “No, Julie, I work 24/7 to at least, eat normally. And he? He just abandoned me! No forgiveness!” I told her.
“Come on, honey, he’s your father!”
“So what? You don’t know! You don’t understand… Only my mom truly loved me. And she would have never allowed him to kick me out of my own house and…”
In the heat of our fight, I stepped out and went for a walk. | Source: Pexel
“Nick,” Julie interrupted me, “do you know your father’s side of the story? I mean you lost your mom but he lost his wife… Have you thought about how this affected him as well?”
“You know what? THAT’S ENOUGH!” I shouted, “I don’t want to hear it!! I’m done…”
Julie almost burst into tears. We barely fought and I knew she was trying to help me. I decided to get some fresh air and went for a walk.
I saw a man sleeping on a bench and I recognized him. | Source: Pexel
When I passed by some benches, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I spotted a man sleeping on one but I thought it was a hobo. But I looked a second time and I knew I knew him from somewhere… it was my dad!
“Dad, wake up! Are you OK?”
He woke up straight away, “Nick, is that you?!”
“Yes, dad, I’m really sorry! I just…”
“I just wanted you to do good in life and…”
“Shh, easy dad, that’s okay, that’s okay.”
He burst into tears. “I thought if you had to pay rent then maybe… maybe you would move on. I wanted to help you, son. You were just sitting on the couch. You weren’t doing anything.” He continued, visibly emotional, “I wanted to motivate you to get a job and live your life.”
My dad got emotional when I found him. | Source: Pexel
“I know I couldn’t pay for your college because I invested the money into my business and… I was gonna give the business to you. But I lost everything, Nick.”
I finally understood what Julie meant. His part of the story. Everything he did was with good intentions. So I couldn’t leave him like that. I knew I was the only person he had left.
“No, dad,” I replied. “If it wasn’t for you, I would have stayed on the couch and achieved nothing. You pushed me for good and I needed to get out of my comfort zone.”
“Yes, that’s what I wanted, Nick.”
“I know, dad. But I didn’t see it that way. I thought you betrayed me. But because you did what you did, now I have a great job and a beloved family. And that’s all thanks to you!”
He was so happy when we decided to forgive each other. | Source: Pexel
“I know I did a lot of things… I know I hurt you, son. Can you forgive me?”
“No, it’s you who should forgive me, dad!” Suddenly, I felt something shifting inside of me. I had been practicing meditation a lot and one of them was about forgiveness. I could never truly forgive my father before, but that day, I did it. Finally.
I started to practice meditation to forgive my father. | Source: Pexel
“I’ve held this anger for so many years… And I’ve tried different things to get rid of it. But now I understand… I was wrong.” I stood up and took him by the hand. “Let’s go home, dad. We have a lot to talk about…”
“Thank you, son. I love you! I’ve always loved you!”
“You’ll be a grandfather!”
“Wait, what? Is Julie pregnant?!”
My dad would soon become a grandfather. | Source: Unsplash
What can we learn from this story?
- We should always appreciate our parents. We are all humans and we make mistakes. We never know what kind of sacrifices they went through for us.
- Forgiveness can set one free. Nick was holding grudges against his father for so many years and he felt free when he forgave the man.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire good deeds.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who forced her stepdaughter to become a golddigger.
This account is inspired by our reader’s story but written by a professional writer. All names have been changed to protect identities and ensure privacy. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.
“Is She Pregnant?” Selena Gomez Causes a Wave of Controversy After Appearing in a Tight Dress
Selena Gomez made a dazzling appearance at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, bringing along her boyfriend Benny Blanco as her date. The 31-year-old singer looked absolutely fabulous in a gorgeous sheer dress. However, some people criticized her outfit, making comments about her body and even speculating whether she might be expecting.
450,000 sequins
Selena Gomez stole the spotlight at the event with her stunning outfit. She wore a captivating sheer gown by Oscar de la Renta, covered in intricate black floral details and a whopping 450,000 sequins. The dress was designed to reveal a subtle hint of skin, adding a touch of glamour to the ensemble with a beautiful Tiffany & Co. necklace.
Selena Gomez attended the event with her 35-year-old boyfriend, Benny Blanco, who is a record producer and actor. Benny looked stylish in a sharp outfit, wearing a long navy coat over a black silk button-up shirt and gray slacks. The couple shared a sweet moment during their walk, with Selena affectionately placing her hand on Benny’s shoulder.
According to an insider, Selena is in a great place and truly enjoying her relationship with Benny Blanco. The source emphasized that she appears to be genuinely happy and engaged, expressing that Selena is embracing a positive phase, perhaps influenced by her connection with Benny or simply reflecting on her current personal and professional state.
Her body became the main topic of discussion.
As everyone admired her vibrant appearance on the red carpet, a few online voices started guessing if she could be pregnant. Even though the star did not indicate a pregnancy, some presumed her curvier and fuller look might suggest otherwise, with one comment stating, “She’s about 4 sizes up”.
However, a supportive fan chimed in, clarifying that her fuller figure could be attributed to her health condition and medication. As the pictures from the event made their way onto social media, fans swiftly celebrated the star’s gorgeous look, flooding her with compliments like “stunning” and “looks amazing.” One supporter expressed, “Love her; she looks awesome and happy. Good for her.”
Negative comments don’t bother her.
Last year, during the Golden Globes, online comments started circulating about her weight gain. Responding to these remarks, Gomez took to Instagram Live with her sister, Gracie, by her side. She explained, “I’m a little bit big right now because I enjoyed myself during the holidays.” Then Gomez added, “But we don’t care,” and both sisters burst into laughter.
By light-heartedly dismissing these comments, Gomez not only set a positive example for her younger sister but also for countless girls and women worldwide. She emphasized that embracing your body and feeling confident, regardless of size, is what truly matters. After all, the key is self-love, which radiates from the inside out.
Selena recently shared that she’s considering wrapping up her music career soon. In this article, we delve into the reasons behind her decision and explore what might be prompting this potential shift in her career path.
Preview photo credit Jordan Strauss / Invision / AP Images / East News
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