My father passed away in a nursing home on a September day. I never remembered him telling me he loved me. Upon hearing his death, I didn’t feel the need to cry. I struggled with my lack of strong feelings over his passing, knowing it was not healthy for me to avoid sadness.
On Christmas Day of the year, I was reflecting on as many good memories of my father as I could. I decided to work out my feelings, so I sat down and wrote my father a letter.
Dear Daddy,
I remember something today. I remember when I was 3 years old, mom carried me right before bedtime and you sang “Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep” to me, and I remember your voice like it was just yesterday. I remember the warmth of you lying next to me and how special I felt at that moment. Then my mom carried me off to my own bed to tuck me in.
I remember times when I could sit out on the porch with you and watch an approaching thunderstorm, and you would tell me the scientific facts behind lightning and thunder. I thought you knew everything.
I remember you taking my two brothers and me on trips to a stream out in the country on summer days. We would walk along the stream, picking wildflowers to take home to mother.
I want to thank you for giving me an appreciation of nature and science and of God’s beautiful creation, Earth. I want to thank you for making us take part in “family worship” every evening after dinner. I remember that Bible stories and the Golden Rule on how to treat others, and I learnt how to appreciate music in my life from the hymns we sang. I also learnt to harmonize with my sisters.
And most of all, I want to forgive you. I forgive you for not being able to tell me that I was a special girl and that you loved me. I longed for your spoken affection. But I realize something in your own upbringing would not allow you to express your feelings verbally(口头地). I realize that you did the best that you could with what you knew.
I signed the letter and put it into my wooden box to join many other cards and letters from my family and loved ones that I cherished. But somehow, it had not brought any relief I desired.
On New Year’s Eve, I remember the letter to my father. I took it outside to the yard. Then I built a fire and dropped it into the flame and watched it burn.
As I thanked my father for giving me life, the tears came. I released all the grief and whispered, “you were my father… and I love you.”
Why did the writer struggle with the feelings upon hearing her father’s death?
A.Because she couldn’t accept her father’s death. |
B.Because she wanted to hold back her sadness. |
C.Because she knew she should have felt sad. |
D.Because she had a mixed feeling of love and hatred. |
The writer spent much happy time doing memorable things with father EXCEPT that ___.
A.father sang songs for her before bedtime |
B.father taught her nature, science, and history |
C.father took her on trips in nature |
D.father read Bible stories for her |
It can be inferred from the text that ______.
A.the writer burned the letter directly after finishing writing it |
B.father’s growth influenced his way of expressing himself |
C.the writer never expected father to express his true feelings |
D.the writer didn’t forgive her father completely after his death |
Which can be chosen as the best title for the story?
A.Daddy, I miss you. |
B.A regretful letter to father |
C.Happy time with daddy |
D.The flames of forgiveness |