An Open Letter of Apology

I'm nothing if not human. That may be all that I am... at least to some... but I'm human at the least.

A week or so ago I was able to spend a couple of hours with my daughter and her new husband. Yes, husband.

Those who have followed my ramblings here might be surprised to hear that I reconnected with my daughter after the harsh words I'd written and the harsh words she'd spoken. Yet, here we were... face to face at a TGI Fridays at midnight... me, my daughter and her husband.

This isn't a blog to elaborate on what was said during that meeting. Yeah, I know that you want to hear the details. I'd want to hear the details as well... but, I made a promise not to blog about our conversation. I intend to keep that promise because I have waited far too long to reestablish a relationship with my daughter.

This blog is a humble apology. An apology to my daughter and to her husband that I had yet to meet when I last ranted about her marriage.

You see, as a human being, a father, a flawed yet caring man, I acted upon my own hurts and anger when I last wrote about my daughter and her being married without including me. Only natural, I believe, to feel hurt as a father who is excluded from such a momentous occasion in his only daughter's life.

No. I was wrong. I now see that my daughter is strong, resourceful and committed to a man who is flawed... much like me. I was remiss to say in my earlier blog that her marriage would never last. Now I know that whether it lasts or not, my daughter and new son-in-law are committed to each other and willing to endure hardship for not only each other but for an ideal that they both believe in.

So, I offer my apologies for the words condemning a union simply because I wasn't notified. I didn't give my daughter and her husband enough credit. Maybe I wasn't such a bad influence after all.

I wish only the best for her, and both of them.... and I'll be here when they need me.

Damn, this shoe leather is tough to swallow... but surely worth it....