LOVE TRACENDS SPACE & TIME

Dear Dad,

Not a single day goes by that I don’t think about you. It’s wild to realize that you passed away in 2011, and today would have been your 75th birthday. You were such a gentle father for a rambunctious young boy like me. I have so many memories of you teaching me about the world, and I am deeply grateful for everything you provided for us while you were here.

The strange part is that now, even though you’re gone, I often feel your presence more than I did when you were here. You suffered terribly with cancer and depression during your time on Earth, and for so many years, we didn’t understand why you had changed so much—until the diagnosis came.

Now that I am a father myself, I look to your example for guidance. I strive not to repeat the same ancestral trauma that you endured. I am forever grateful for your love, and for the lessons you quietly instilled in me. You were a beautiful spirit—one who taught me how to love, how to listen, and how to hold space for others.

Happy Birthday, Dad. I love you and miss you so much.

With gratitude,
Matthew Schildkret
Founder, Late Sunday Afternoon