Not All Father’s Days Feel the Same

Father’s Day brings up a range of emotions — some joyful, some complicated, some quietly painful. While social media fills with smiling photos and celebratory captions, it’s important to remember that not everyone feels seen in that narrative.

Some are celebrating today with full hearts and deep gratitude.
But others… are merely surviving it.

There are dads who have lost a child and carry their grief quietly.
Men who long to be fathers and are still waiting, or healing.
Children grieving a father gone too soon, or maybe one they never really had.
Those who are estranged, or navigating painful, complex relationships.
Many people who simply aren’t sure how to feel today, because the absence or presence of a father figure brings up more pain and confusion than comfort.

You don’t have to force a smile.
You don’t owe anyone a post.
You don’t need to explain your boundaries or your silence.
And if you feel a little out of place today, please know you’re not alone in that.

Father’s Day can be both a celebration and a wound.
It can bring warmth or ache — or both at once.

If today feels heavy, I hope you give yourself permission to soften, to rest, and to feel what’s true for you.

There is room for your grief.
There is room for your story.
There is room for you.

Be gentle with yourself.

—
Keelei Magar, LMSW
Holding space for the full spectrum of human experience
🖤