I believe in my father.

My father never cries.

He is a tough, big man that is intimidating to many at first glance. But, many people do not realize the hurt and the pain that his soft heart has felt.

He fell in love with a girl his senior year of high school. They did everything together: cute dates, family get togethers, late nights talking on the phone. She was beautiful and everything he ever wanted in a partner. This was the girl my father thought he was going to spend the rest of his life with.
But she left.

She left because she thought she had found bigger and better. She left because she did not realize what she had. My father was broken, and his brokenness became his identity. He became sadness and “the guy who got hurt.” And when she friend requested him on Facebook many years later and messaged him he said “no.” Why? Because when the memories flooded back he realized that he lives a great life now with his wife and two daughters, who wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for this girl walking away.

He held me in his arms as he told me that the way to get over a broken heart is acceptance. A person may never truly get over somebody. The memories of the beautiful warmth of holding somebody’s hand and the cold pain of letting the hand go will always remain. But if one accepts it, owns it, and moves on in the occurrence of it happening, life will go on just fine.

This I believe: accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be. Life happens, but it is a choice to embrace what happens and trust that there is something greater, waiting to be discovered. This is the only true way to learn and carry on.

My father cried over her, and probably did for a long time. But he doesn't cry anymore.