Letters from an aspiring, trying, failing, loving father to his son. For anyone who's thinking of writing one.
I am a father in my fifties.
I have meant to write a diary for my son since the day he was born. Thirteen years ago.
I even bought a leather diary, yet I never did.
This is the place I am trying again.
The letters here are not advice. They are not five-things-every-father-should-know. They are what I tried to be for him, what I failed at, what I am still figuring out. Some of them will be useful. Some of them will be honest in a way that surprises me when I read them back.
I am writing under a pen name. The emotion is real.
If you are a father who has meant to say something to your child and hasn't — these are for you too.
Letter Zero
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Privacy. When you sign up, you give your email address. That is the only personal information we ask for or store. Your email is held by Beehiiv, the platform used to send these letters. It is not sold, shared, or used for any purpose other than sending you the letters you signed up for.You can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email. To have your data deleted entirely, write to [email protected].The narrator is anonymous. Your data is not. Last updated 16 May 2026.