Dear Dad,
I felt it's time to tell you just how much I love you and how much I miss my old dad. I mean you have improved with age, but there's this nagging habit that just won't go away. I know that you are a good person and I know that you do love your family and will do anything for them, but you're allowing this nag to control you. It angers me when you sit there speaking like a prophet. Well you're false and you speak lies. You don't realize how much you put your family through. You don't realize how much I had to step up and take care of things. You're a coward. You're a scared little boy. You think you have all the answers, but you don't. No one finds you funny. No one thinks you're interesting. People feel sorry for you. People ignore your calls because they don't want to hear your slurred memories, or attempts to explain things. I will no longer drive around to find you. I will no longer check in at work. I will no longer cover for you. While I won't do those things, I will never stop praying for you. I will never lose the faith. I will have my old dad back one of these days; I hope sooner rather than later.

Love,
Your Daughter

*I wrote this in 2009 and while I would like to say everything has changed, it has not. I will say though that slowly, but surely things are getting better.