Dear Dad,

I hope by the time this letter reaches you in finds you in good health and in good spirits. I know I have not written you in a long time probably in about 5 years, however, I decided that it was pertinent for me to write and break the silence.

The purpose of this letter was to apologize for the cold ways I have treated you in the past, unfortunately your transparency as a parent created a cold bitter presence in me, that I still deal with today. At one time, I centered all my problems on not having a father. I used to be jealous of other kids because their dads would play with them or pick them up from school, and my dad was in jail. I used to be embarrassed to tell people I had your first name and even at times I told people your were dead, just so they would not ask me about my father. I also would say that I was incarcerated because you were genes were flawed, and that since you were a jail bird I was surely destined to be one. In my vain attempts to attribute all my negativity on you, it dawned on me that you were not at fault.

With the help of the Lord, I saw that the only person who was responsible for all my shortcomings was me, with this realization I made a positive step towards to change. My tune has changed now, if it were not for you, I would not have the little success that I have now. I want to thank you for your contribution to my life, even tho you might not have been there, without you I would not be here. Holding a bunch of anger and resentment about you only created more anger inside of me, which I had to let go and hopefully, I have finally let go in the form of this letter.

I want to say thank you Dale Winterwood Rodriguez for giving birth to me, and providing what you could for my life, even though the amount may have been small it was a great contribution to the man I am today. With the said, I would like to ask you for one more gift which is your legal paternity. You never signed my birth certificate and for the last 24 years, I have carried the name of my mother; however, as a symbol of my new life and a new future, I would like to carry your last name, so that I could fully be the junior I was intended to be. Included in this letter is a legal document requesting your signature and other information that would legally make you paternal.

Thank you for taking to the time out to read this letter and I hope to hear from you son,

Love your son,

Dale J. Rodriquez

Picture of Dale W. Rodriquez:

"He Get it from his Daddy!"

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