
I grew up believing that my father blamed me for my mother’s death but the truth was heartbreaking.
I never knew my mother, and my father never spoke about her. All I knew was that she had been very beautiful, because of the picture that hung on my father’s study wall, and that she had died very young.
My father was a sad man, a quiet and distant man. I wanted him to notice me, and to love me, but he never did. He rarely spoke to me beyond the perfunctory hello and goodbye, good morning and goodnight. I would have given anything for him to sweep me into his arms and tell me he loved me.

The shadow of my mother’s death followed me my whole life | Source: Shutterstock.com
This strange and strained relationship with my father continued until I was 18, and by then I was a sad and lonely young woman who believed my father hated me. If my father didn’t love me, who would?
But the answer to all my questions was about to be delivered in the most painful and cruel way. My father was hosting a party for his business associates, and among them was a woman whom I knew slightly.
If you don’t leave the past behind you, you deny yourself a future.
I had the feeling that she and my father had a past together — or at least that she wished they did. She greeted me and we started chatting — inconsequential talk about nothing special — and my father walked by.
I gave him my best smile, but he immediately glanced away. The woman saw it all. “Do you know why?” she asked.

I grew up feeling that my father hated me | Source: Unsplash
“Why what?” I asked, confused.
“Why he hates you,” she said.
“My father doesn’t hate me!” I exclaimed. “He’s just not a very demonstrative man.”
“So you don’t know…” she smiled. It was the ugliest smile I’d ever seen. I was about to walk away when she said, “He believes you killed your mother, Karen.”

One day at a party someone told me the truth | Source: Unsplash
I stopped in my tracks. “What?” I gasped.
“Your mother died giving birth to you, surely you know that?” she said.
“No…” I answered. “No, I didn’t know.” I turned my back on her and went looking for my grandmother, my father’s mother, the woman who’d raised me and never told me about my mother’s death.
“How did my mother die?” I asked her angrily. “Was it in childbirth?”

My mother had died in childbirth | Source: Pexels
My grandmother shook her head. “Please Karen, your father asked me never to speak of this with you.”
“I have the right to know about my own mother!” I cried. “I have the right to know why my father hates me!”
Then a quiet angry voice behind me said, “I don’t hate you, Karen, but your mother’s death is none of your business:”
I turned to face my father. “My mother’s death is none of my business? You’re wrong! I killed her, didn’t I? That’s what you think each time you look at me!”

My father blamed me for her death | Source: Unsplash
The expression in his eyes sent me running out of the door. I got into my car and drove aimlessly, tears running down my face. In my distress, I didn’t see the oncoming car changing lanes until it was too late.
I woke up in the hospital linked to a beeping machine, with a dull promise of pain twinging through my whole body. Sitting by my side and holding my hand was my father.
“Karen,” he said softly, “Thank God you’re alright!”
“Daddy…” I whispered, “you’re here!”
Tears came into his eyes. “Of course I’m here. I don’t hate you, Karen. I love you. And I don’t blame you for your mother’s death, I blame myself. When your mom and I married we were very poor.
“All we had were dreams and our love for each other. Then she fell pregnant and I took on a second job. I knew we’d need the money when you came along. I was working 16-hour days and she spent a lot of time alone.
“So one day when I came home she wasn’t there. A neighbor had taken her to the hospital. When I got there it was all over. Your mother had died, and I hadn’t been there for her.

The accident nearly cost me my life | Source: Pexels
“I didn’t blame you, Karen, I blamed myself. I was determined I wasn’t going to fail you the way I’d failed her, so I threw myself into my work, and I became a rich man.
“Daddy, how could you blame yourself?” I asked. “There was nothing you could have done!”
“I could have been there, holding her hand the way I’m holding yours now,” he said.
“But daddy…” I hesitated, “you were always so angry with me, so cold. You ran away from me.”

My father and I were reconciled | Source: Unsplash
“Karen, you look just like your mother, and each time I looked at you, my heart was torn apart by grief and guilt. It took nearly losing you to make me realize what I’d done. I love you.”
For the first time in my life, my father put his arms around me and showed me that he loved me. It was a new beginning for both of us, and I like to believe my mother was smiling down from heaven.
What can we learn from this story?
- If you don’t leave the past behind you, you deny yourself a future. Karen’s father was so lost in his pain that he nearly lost the opportunity to have a wonderful relationship with his daughter.
- The truth can heal old wounds and open the way to a new beginning. It was only after Karen and her father spoke about their estrangement that they could move past their misunderstandings.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who left his widowed mother homeless.
This account is inspired by our reader’s story but written by a professional writer. All names have been changed to protect identities and ensure privacy. Share your story with us, maybe it will change someone’s life.
Celine Dion Reveals Her Problem

In addition to giving her fans a major health update, Celine Dion announced that she would be delaying some of her tour dates until 2024.
A Message from Celine to You
“I’ve been dealing with health issues for quite some time, and it has been an immense challenge for me to confront these obstacles and discuss the journey I’ve been on,” Celine wrote in a poignant post on Instagram. She stated quite frankly that she will not be prepared to continue her European tour in February as originally scheduled.
A More Detailed Exam of Celine’s Health
Celine went on to describe her health in more detail, revealing that stiff person syndrome is a neurological ailment for which she has been diagnosed. Her illness is resulting in severe and incapacitating muscular spasms. It seems sense that Celine is giving her recuperation and wellbeing top priority by taking the required time.
Postponed Tour Dates
Fans may be disappointed by the announcement of the rearranged tour dates, but it’s evident that Celine’s health continues to come first. She is determined to make sure she fully recovers before going back on stage, as seen by her choice to postpone the European tour until 2024.
An Endearing Expression of Thanks
Celine thanked her fans for their steadfast support despite the difficulties she is now enduring. “I’m incredibly thankful for your love and understanding as I navigate through this difficult time,” she said in acknowledgment. This message demonstrates the close bond she has with her fan base.
Gazing Forward
Fans of Celine are supporting her with love and encouragement while she takes the time necessary to attend to her health issues. Fans are excitedly awaiting Celine’s victorious return to the stage since it is clear that her tenacity and willpower are just as amazing as her musical ability.
Assistance and Motivation
Fans and fellow artists have shown their support for Celine following her health update. The music business and her fans are aware of how important it is to put one’s health and wellbeing first.
Adaptability in the Face of Difficulties
Celine Dion’s experience with health issues serves as a reminder of her tenacity, which is what makes her unique. Even for a megastar of her caliber, her choice to postpone tour dates is a heartbreaking reminder of how important it is to take care of oneself.
Continue to Communicate
Fans may follow Celine on official platforms and social media as she sets out on her recuperation trip. Her perseverance and courage will surely inspire a great number of people who could also be dealing with health issues.
Wishing You Healing
Let’s band together to send Celine Dion our best wishes for recovery as she navigates the challenges presented by stiff person syndrome. Her experience serves as a reminder to all of us of the value of perseverance and self-care, and her bravery and candor continue to touch hearts around the globe.
A Consistent Signal of Assistance
To spread the love and support for Celine Dion, forward this update to your other friends and supporters. She continues to be a source of inspiration and strength for all of us as she makes these vital moves toward her recovery.
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