Award-winning musician Alicia Keys has shared an emotional letter to her absent father. The star shared an excerpt from her book, More Myself, of the letter she wrote to her father as a teenager.
Image: Alicia Keys IG
In the lengthy post, Alicia shared in part; “In the early part of my teens, I wrote this letter to my father, Craig. I wanted nothing to do with him. My words came from a place of vulnerability and longing. At the time it hurt so much to experience what felt like empty promises. I swore I didn’t care, but I did and it affected me deeply. I finally had enough and wrote those words.”
In her letter, Alicia shared that her father’s absence from her life was so disappointing that she never wanted to hear from him. She said in part; “It saddens me that most of my heart is bitter towards you. It’s only that little part that feels sad that’s not bitter. It’s been too long for me to avoid this any longer. All I want from you is to mind your business. I don’t want the phone calls, I don’t want the letters, I don’t want the fake acts you pull to try and make me think you care. I don’t want anything.”
Alicia further explained that her father’s persistence to have a relationship with her is the reason they’re now working towards rebuilding their relationship. She said in part; “Craig says he had no intention of allowing me to push him off the ledge of our relationship. He says he attempted to stay connected from the back row of my life…. Even after I mailed those divorce papers to Craig, some part of me must have hoped he’d fight to stay in my life. But at 14 [she actually was 13 in July 1994] I felt sure I never wanted to hear from him again.”
Alicia Keys shares emotional letter to her absent father. Take a listen to the full letter.