You do not owe anyone an explanation. I enjoyed your writing. My father was similar in some of the ways you mention. He ended up leaving the entire family fortune to my step mother and her kids, who was my mother's former friend. I have no good feelings or any feelings for him; he simply was.

He was the most intelligent man I have known, women swooned over him, but he was not a good father. He died without any good feelings from any of his children. I do not miss him and rarely think about him. Folks that knew him have given me the same hard time you are writing about. My answer to them has always been, he was my father and I'll talk about him if I want to.

I am empathetic with your experience. Thank you for communicating such a well thought out article.