My Letter to My Father: A Collection of Letters from Sons and Daughters to Their Fathers

By Deidre Reigel

Who was your father? Was he your best friend, a stranger, or not in your life at all?

In this book, you will read heartfelt letters from sons and daughters to their Fathers, whether deceased or still living. The thread that runs through this book is beautiful honesty. Vivid glances into people's lives appear in this book. All with a message: How we have been shaped has been largely the doing of Life; who we are and how we have responded is our decision.

I invite you to journey with our many contributing writers from around the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Jan 31, 2017
• ISBN: 9781504363853

Deidre Reigel

Having grown up in a home with an absentee father and an alcoholic mother, Deidre learned early life lessons of self-reliance and strength. In later years, she would embrace understanding, forgiveness and unconditional love. As a Singer/Dancer/Composer/Pianist/Conductor her profession has taken her to Eastern Europe, Canada, Japan and through a good part of the United States. Deidre has a great appreciation for how the Arts serve us all in expressing the deep and powerful energies of our Being. She is currently a resident of Longboat Key, Florida, and has just recently released yet another CD, "Sacred Harmony", which is available on Amazon.com.

Book preview

MY LETTER

to

MY FATHER

A Collection of Letters from Sons and

Daughters to Their Fathers

DEIDRE REIGEL

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Copyright © 2017 Deidre Reigel.

Author Credits: And 26 Contributing Writers

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Balboa Press

A Division of Hay House

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.balboapress.com

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Family photos graciously provided by some of our contributing writers.

ISBN: 978-1-5043-6384-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5043-6385-3 (e)

Balboa Press rev. date: 01/23/2017

CONTENTS

Prologue/Acknowldgements

Why I Created This Book

Acknowledgements

Joy In The Little Things

An Almost-Full Life

Choose With My Heart

‘My Shining Star In The Darkness’

‘You Taught Me To Live’

To Dad

Exactly What The Word Dad Means To Me!

Plaid Shorts And A Giant Cadillac

…The Cascade Of Images Produced By Time And Caring

My First Hero

My Dad…’The Provider’

…But I Survived…

Still Think Of You As My Daddy

Magic And Fun

Always At My Heart

A Dab Of Iodine

Until Then

So Measured Is Your Grace

So Joyous And Such A Tease

A Tiny Piece Of My Heart

A Soft Place In Your Heart

Looking Back At The Man In My Life

A Funeral Was Created

A Kind Heart And A Kind Voice

Salt Of The Earth

Good As Gold

PROLOGUE/ACKNOWLDGEMENTS

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Author, Deidre Reigel and her father.

Why I Created this Book In June of 2009, a series of amazing events caused me to re-evaluate my relationship with my father. This led to profound forgiveness and healing. As I shared my story with friends, I heard them say things such as, I know I need to forgive my father.;

WHY I CREATED THIS BOOK

In June of 2009, a series of amazing events caused me to re-evaluate my relationship with my father. This led to profound forgiveness and healing. As I shared my story with friends, I heard them say things such as, I know I need to forgive my father.; I will call my father today and tell him how much I love him and how wonderful he is. I knew immediately that to share my own story with many could be a helpful tool—whether it be a story of healing or celebration. And thus began the journey to compile My Letter to My Father.

The creation of this book has been an act of love for myself, all the contributing writers, those who influenced me to pursue and complete this project, the wonderful publishing team of Balboa Press, and you, the reader.

As for me, I have my father back. He is in my HeartMind of love. And he has me back—his only child—a daughter who has taken the lesson of courage and love her father taught.

Wherever you are in Life and in relationship with your own father, this book holds treasure for you. The people and their stories are real. Their honesty is admirable. I salute them all!

You will find letters of healing and forgiveness, confession, celebration and understanding. Perhaps your own story is similar to letters you will read

here. Your experience with this book will be uniquely yours. May it serve you well!

Deidre Reigel

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

To Tom, who told me this book could not and should not be done.

To Joe, who has shown me the many wonderful aspects of men and helped me see myself in a new light.

To Steve, Matt, Linda and Lillian for being part of the beginning.

To Judith, who supported this idea with kind words of affirmation.

To Morris, who inspired me with his own fabulous book.

To Margaux, who continues to remind me of my truest self.

To Liz, who made it possible for me to finish this book.

To every contributing writer for their candor and courage.

To our generous supporters, Bob and Zoe, Sandy, Bill, and Dahling MC—Thank You!

Joy In The Little Things

Dear Dad,

How long has it been since the last time I looked into your lightless eyes and said my