I love my dad.
Hes a great man.
Things have always been pleasant between us, but I wouldnt characterize us as close.
Like Father
Or the girls who ran crying to dad when something went terribly wrong.
Theres no father-daughter relationship beyond repair, and youre never too old to start forging a stronger bond.
Thats why Im proactively working to improve my relationship with my dad these days.
Im learning to make time for him.
If you want to grow your relationship with someone, you absolutely have to make time for them.
And when we do get together, I never regret it.
Like Father
Im asking him thoughtful questions.
They can be about anythinghis past, his hobbies, his opinions on current events, etc.
Im listening to him.
Im sharing much more about my own life.
Part of the reason why my dad and I never grewreallyclose is my fault, I now realize.
For years, I held back.
I didnt share what I was thinking or feeling.
Im not exactly sure why, but I didnt open up to my dad emotionally.
And if you want a real relationship with someone, it cant be a one-way thing.
You have to give as much as you take.
So now, I share.
I dont skim over the tough stuff.
I go deep when it comes to my innermost life.
Im saying I love you as often as possible.
When youre not all that close to a family member, uttering I love you doesnt always feel natural.
But heres the thing: The more you say it, the easier the words begin to flow.
When he says it back, a tiny part of my soul always melts.
I feel more at ease with myself, and more comfortable in this big, bad world.
We still have a long way to go, but our love is growing.
And embracing that out loud is powerful.
