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Rewritten Letter (Modern Adult English, With Your True Intent)
Mom,
Happy birthday. I hope you have many more and that they’re filled with good things. There’s something I need to say honestly, the same way I tried to say it when I was young.
I love you, and I’ve always loved you. But even as a kid, I could feel when you were trying to turn me against my dad. I didn’t like it then, and I wouldn’t accept it. I wasn’t willing to pick sides or let anyone shape how I felt about him.
I wasn’t being disrespectful, and I wasn’t trying to be difficult — I was just trying to hold onto what felt right to me. I wanted the freedom to have my own relationship with my father without guilt or pressure. Letting Mark spend time with him mattered to me, too, and I needed you to understand that.
All I wanted was for you to hear me, to see me, and to understand that my love for you didn’t mean I had to turn my back on him.
Love always,
Your son, Fitz
Signature
Love always,
Your son, Fitz
Closing Line
Happy Birthday.
My Narration
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My Mother's Passing
My mother passed on July 1st, 2025. We had the funeral seven days later. They transported her body back to Pritchard, Alabama, where she said she wanted to be buried. My sister handled that and made sure my mother's final wishes were respected.
Back to TOCThe Funeral
Before the funeral, my sister asked if I wanted to speak. I told her I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t want to speak out of anger, and I didn’t want to say anything that would be inappropriate. I prayed about it, and after praying, I called her back and said I would speak.
Back to TOCWhy I Didn't Speak at the Funeral
My sister thought I was going to use the moment to speak in retribution for how my mother dealt with me growing up, but I chose not to go down that road. Not because I didn’t want to, but because it would have been the wrong thing to do. If I had spoken negatively about her behavior at her funeral, it would have reflected badly on me. I didn’t want to carry that for the rest of my life.
Back to TOCThe Truth About Carolyn
The mention of Carolyn in the letter was about my girlfriend at the time. I believed that my mother thought this girl had taken me away from her, but that wasn’t true. No girl could have kept me from my mother. I thought she believed that Carolyn was the problem, but the truth was that my mother’s behavior is what pushed me away, not my girlfriend, not my father, not anyone else.
Back to TOCWhy This Moment Matters
My sister sending me the letter opened a door for me to express all of this in writing. This way, I can tell the truth without having to say it at the funeral. I document my life, and someone has to know what really happened before I leave this world. This moment allows me to express what I lived through honestly.
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