Ideally, the relationship between parents and children is characterized by love, respect, and mutual understanding. Sadly, there are instances when the children are ashamed of their parents while growing up because they don’t own a fancy car, are not reach, or don’t do what the children see as a “respectable” job.
These often leads to complex emotions and strained connections.
Sabrina, 18, was on the phone with one of her friends when she heard the front door open. It was her dad, Pete, who worked as a coal miner. The young woman was quick to end up the conversation because she didn’t want her dad to hear her talking about her upcoming graduation. The reason why was that she didn’t want him to attend it because she was afraid her friends would mock her because of his “dirty” looks.
Pete entered the home with a smile on his face, carrying two packages in his hands. He told Sabrina he had a present for her and left the packages on the table.
Ever since she lost her mom, Pete was there for his daughter. He understood her and always respected her privacy.
Sabrina was happy for the presents, but she always considered her dad not worthy of her attention only because his hands and face were blackened from the coal. She didn’t even let him touch her things.
Eager to see what’s inside the packages, she opened one of them and saw a gorgeous dress inside. When she opened the other, she saw a suit. Confused, she asked her dad why there was a suit there.
“It’s for me, honey! I have to look amazing…it’s your graduation, after all!” Pete said happily.
Hearing these words, Sabrina bit her lips in frustration. She threw the present and said, “Dad, I don’t want you to come. All my friends and their parents will be attending. I don’t want them to laugh at me after seeing you, alright??”
Pete was left in complete shock. He had no idea his daughter had such a low opinion of him.
“What did you say?” he asked with confusion.
“Dad, my friends’ fathers are from reputed backgrounds. They are all rich and look like celebrities. I don’t want you standing among them like a…like a mess…dad, I hope you understand. No matter how well you dress, anyone can easily guess you are a coal miner by just looking at your dirty face and hands. I don’t want them to laugh at me. Please don’t come to my graduation.”
These words felt like a sharp knife.
Sabrina then thanked him for the dress and entered her room, slamming the door behind her.
Pete was devastated, but he wasn’t mad. He knew his daughter was too young to understand the weight of the words she uttered so he still decided to attend her graduation ceremony believing she would change her mind.
On the big day, Pete asked his daughter if he could at least drop her to the venue, but she said there was no need for that. Pete said it was alright and wished her to have a wonderful night.
Before leaving the house, Sabrina turned to him and said, “And dad, don’t come, alright?? I trust you won’t. Bye…see ya!”
But once she was gone, Pete got dressed. There was no change he was missing on such an important milestone.
Shortly after, Pete entered the venue and settled in the section designated for parents. He enthusiastically applauded as students accepted their awards, eagerly waiting for Sabrina to receive hers.
“Next, we call Miss Sabrina Parker!” the host announced.
Pete ran to the front and started filming his girl. He was overjoyed, but Sabrina was shocked when he spotted him.
“Congrats, darling!” Pete shouted. “I’m so proud of you!”
But Sabrina’s response was far from enthusiastic. Instead of smiling, she let out a groan and joined her friends. She couldn’t wait for the ceremony to end so she could confront her dad.
Suddenly, she heard the host say, “Mr. Parker, can we please have you on the stage.”
This added to her nervousness.
“Thanks, Mr. Lauren! Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!” Pete said when he took the mic. “Can we have the slideshow, please?!”
The audience and Sabrina were taken aback as the hall dimmed and the projector sprang to life. Pete had crafted a touching video, showcasing cherished moments of him and Sabrina from her childhood up to the eve of her graduation. Prior to the ceremony, he had arranged a meeting with the principal and staff, detailing his plan to surprise his daughter. Consequently, he was granted special permission to execute the surprise immediately after Sabrina received her diploma.
“I love my daughter. Sabrina, I’m so proud of you. I hope your mother would be equally proud if she were here today. Emma, if you are here by any chance, you can see for yourself! You told me I could not raise my daughter alone, but there can be no other dad on earth who is as proud as me now. Congrats, Sabrina…we did it!”
The video, along with her dad’s words, touched Sabrina’s heart. She started crying tears of joy as she joined her dad on stage and gave him a hug. “Thank you so much, dad! I’m sorry,” she said.
The night was over and on their way home, Pete decided it was about time he shared a truth with his daughter. He waited her to turn 18 and be old enough to be able to handle the reality.
Gathering courage, he turned to Sabrina and told her her mother wasn’t dead. She was alive and lived in the same town.
Sabrina almost collapsed. She couldn’t understand why her dad would lie her about something like that for so long.
With tears in his eyes, Pete explained that her mother never wanted her. When she fell pregnant she wanted to leave Sabrina behind and put her up for adoption. When Pete told her not to do it, she confessed that Pete wasn’t even the baby’s real father but offered him to take her and raise her if he wanted to as long as he stick to the story that her mom was dead.
Pete couldn’t let Sabrina end up in foster care or be adopted by complete strangers, so he decided to accept her as his own before divorcing her mother.
“I could not see you as someone else’s child. You were my world, and you are my everything today,” Pete cried.
“You’re not my real father??” Sabrina asked again, wanting to be sure in Pete’s words.
“Darling, I may not be your birth father, but I don’t love you any less. Forget what I just told you. You are always MY DAUGHTER regardless of anything and everything.”
“I’m sorry, dad. I feel ashamed of myself for hurting you. I called you ‘dirty’ and ‘smelly’ without knowing about your sacrifices for me. What would have happened to me if you didn’t step up for me and raised me? Please forgive me.”
That was the first and only time Pete and Sabrina talked about her mother. They decided to leave the past where it belonged. But from that moment on, Sabrina was never again ashamed of her dad. On the contrary, she couldn’t be prouder Pete was the man who raised her. She was happy to call him dad.