An Open Letter to My Grandfather | Teen Ink

An Open Letter to My Grandfather

October 1, 2018
By Anonymous

I wish I could reach you.
I wish I enjoyed your company.
I’d like to know who you really are.
But I’m not sure you want to know who I am.

Your blood runs through mine:
We are family.
I hear the stories people tell,
and I am afraid.

I know you lost your only daughter when she was young.
I can’t imagine how much that must hurt.
It destroyed your marriage to my grandmother.
But so did you.

I am writing this to tell you:
Your only granddaughter is dead at age 15.

She’s sorry it had to end this way.
Really, she is.
But she’s in a better place now.
Much better.
She loved you.

Please don’t be angry.
It’s no one’s fault.
This is just the way it is.

Before you begin to grieve too deeply,
I’d like to introduce:
Your new grandson.
His name is Charlie.
He’s not unlike your late granddaughter.
But he is a boy.
Always has been.
Always will be.

I understand if you would rather have your granddaughter back.
After all, you watched her grow up.
You loved her.

But this is how it is.
I’m sorry.

It’s nice to meet you.
I hope it’s nice to meet me.


The author's comments:

I have been worring about coming out to my grandfather as a transgender boy. I decided to write a pretend letter to him to let out some emotion and relieve some stress. Hopefully all goes well. 


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