Father's Day

It's coming, and although my father passed away at home in early November 1994, I've never really liked this day for one reason expressed as a question? Why should you thank your father who has never said the three words every child likes and wants to hear from them, "I love you."?

He never said it to me, so why should I recognize the only thing he gave me was being born? He once told me I wasn't planned or wanted, so why should I thank him for a life of neglect? Not long after I graduated high school he told me, "Son, I want you to have a life, just don't have it here.", so why does he deserve my respect?

Only later in life did I learn he did to me what his father did to him. That's his issue with his father, so why is it an excuse for his actions with me? Why do I deserve his hate for his father now expressed as my father? Why does he deserve my love for just wanting three words I never heard?