Father Figures

[Eva Libre]

Inspirations

Father Figures

Releasing our inner child wounds begins with granting ourselves permission to name what was missing and planting new seeds of healing.

The father figure in our life can impact us in so many ways. Sometimes he represents the one who read us bedtime stories, helped us learn to ride a bike, or had that quiet look of pride in his eyes as we showed him our latest school project. Yet when that presence is absent — whether through physical distance, emotional unavailability, or a gap left by loss — it can bring up a number of emotions like regret, grief, anger, and everything in between.

But here’s where compassion can gently turn the page. Acknowledging how the father wound may still be impacting us today doesn’t mean we have to relive every painful memory or carry that burden forever. Instead, we can grant ourselves permission to name what was missing, set down the weight of the past, and plant new seeds of healing. We can begin by offering our inner child the comfort and safety they may have needed — a gentle word of encouragement, validation, or simply affirming, “You are worthy. You are enough — just as you are.”

In making these small steps, we find resolution within ourselves and maybe even a newfound sense of hope. So, whether you’re missing your dad, wishing he would have been around more, or carrying complicated or painful memories from childhood, please know that you deserve space to honor what was lost without letting it define the fullness of your future.

by Madisyn Taylor