I spent 15+ years trying to become the most authentic, confident version of myself. But no matter how many meditations, workouts, courses and books I tried… I was stuck. I was carrying a deep wound with me. I was attaching my self-worth to what happened when I was 4 and he left. So there I was, one day before my 26th birthday, sitting at my desk, my eyes closed, and my attention fully focused on my inner world. I had spent months doing inner and somatic work, letting go of pain, reconnecting with myself, and rewiring the belief that I wasn't enough. Still, that Sunday morning I spent 2 hours preparing the different versions of myself for the meeting we were about to have. I spent time with 7-year-old Carolina. I played with her and watched her dance on the front porch of our grandparents’ house. I told her about the meeting and asked what she wanted me to say to him. She said she missed her dad. And she wished he was there to play and to teach her new skills. Then I talked to teenage Carolina. She was nervous. She was nervous because he had hurt her. She spent years looking to feel seen and to have the validation her father never gave her. She wanted him to know that she forgave him already, and that she wanted him to be okay. She loves herself completely now. Lastly, I talked to 21-year-old Carolina. She's not angry anymore. She doesn't excuse him but she understands that life is hard and maybe he had lots going on. Deep down, she wanted to have a relationship with her father. They all told me they trusted me to lead us into the meeting. They thanked me for doing this and they knew I'd protect them. So, then I finally met him… I thought I was going to be anxious, with sweaty palms, but I wasn’t. I was calm and grounded. He was polite, open to conversation. And I could tell that he was happy to meet me and that he cared about me. We had lunch and talked for about 4 hours. Meeting my father brought comfort to each of the versions of myself: 7-year-old Carolina learned that her father did play with her during her first years. She was given sweet memories that were lost.