Dad doesn’t complain much anymore.
But he doesn’t smile the way he used to either.
He gets up early, comes home late, and talks less and less. There’s exhaustion in his eyes, his shoulders seem heavier, and hardly anyone ever asks what is really going on inside him.
Because Dad is supposed to be “the strong one.”
He’s supposed to handle it.
Keep going.
Never break down.
Never cry.
Never let anyone see how hard things really are.
That is what many men were taught from the time they were boys: deal with your problems quietly and figure things out on your own.
So Dad learned to swallow fear.
Hide anger.
Keep pain to himself.
And move forward as if nothing was wrong.
But fathers get tired too.
They have moments when they don’t know what to do next.
They question their decisions.
They feel lonely sometimes, even in a house full of people.
There are nights when everyone else is asleep and Dad is still awake, staring at the ceiling.
Wondering whether he was a good enough father.
Whether he …More