|
A Letter to My Father |
|
As I address you with these two heavy words, "Father", my heart grows heavier.
In this quiet exam room, I think of you and write to you in this form, wanting
to cry.
Once upon a time, when mom was still around, you were so strong. In my heart,
you were my idol and I felt proud of you all the time. From the happy eyes of
Mom, I knew that you were her lifelong support. And you, indeed, were that
umbrella that shielded us from the dampness in the wind and rain; that shielded
us from the scorching sun. You, my father, the support of Mom, my idol.
Do you still remember? Our family used to be so poor, Mom stayed at home to take
care of us, while you were out in the wind and rain, living on a meager salary
every month to support our family. But you were never tired. That day, you were
laid off. Mom sat alone on the couch, tears streaming down her face, not knowing
how to live the days ahead, not knowing how to endure the future. Father, my
dear father. You went to Mom, took her hand and said word by word, "Feng! Don't
cry, even if the sky falls, I'll hold it up. As a real man, can't I support my
own family?" Yes, in the days that followed, you left early and came back late,
relying on your healthy body and some modest support from others, you started
anew, struggling in the treacherous business world without exhaustion. Every
time I saw your tired eyes, aging face, and increasing white hair, Mom's eyes
were always filled with tears, and I kept telling myself that when I grow up, I
want to be successful like my father.
That year, the sun was warm and you handed the money you had worked hard to earn
for a year to Mom and said, "Feng, you and the children will have a good life
from now on." Mom nodded with tears in her eyes, and you cried too. When you
turned your face away, I told myself: Father, even if you have nothing, as long
as we have you, we can still live happily. Father, my dear father. |
|
|
|