My younger sister and I were rebellious teens in 1977, and this created something of a warzone in our home. As Michelle and I were increasingly eager to forge our own paths, our parents doubled down on tactics designed to block unwelcome activity.

My mom and dad came of age in the ’40s, and they didn't approve of our "revealing" clothing and defiant opinions. But having long borne witness to their marital strife, my sister and I were cynical. We were no longer willing to follow their lead or mind their rules.

When clashes between Michelle and our parents accelerated, home became a miserable place. It seemed my mother was always crying, while my father, never a hands-on parent, spent the majority of his time watching TV in the den. Finally, it was decided my sister would leave home for the fall school semester and live with our aunt in a nearby city.

My feelings about this scenario were mixed. I envied Michelle’s escape from our parents' scrutiny, but also found myself enjoying my role as the "only" child. Being less confrontational (and certainly sneakier), I was able to sustain a level of harmony, and my parents seemed motivated to compromise with their remaining daughter.

One day, when my father was dropping me off at school, I got a glimpse of the situation from his standpoint. He brought up Michelle’s absence and his confusion over the events leading up to her move. As I offered insight into my sister’s point of view, my dad suddenly dropped his head into his hands and began to softly weep.

I was stunned and, despite myself, profoundly moved. Until that moment, I had never seen my father cry. As far as I understood, tears were not in my dad’s wheelhouse. Truth be told, I had been viewing him as a kind of peripheral being, preoccupied with his own interests, and this display of emotion pierced my rebel heart.

Collecting myself, I managed a few soothing words before heading off, late, to my first class. All day, I was haunted by the feeling I had not said enough. And, there was a new revelation: my dad loved his daughters.