歌颂父亲节的英语作文

Inthedoorwayofmyhome,Ilookedcloselyatthefaceofmy23-year-oldson,Daniel,hisbackpackbyhisside.Weweresayinggood-bye.InafewhourshewouldbeflyingtoFrance.Hewouldbestayingthereforatleastayeartolearnanotherlanguageandexperiencelifeinadifferentcountry.

ItwasatransitionaltimeinDaniel‘slife,apassage,astepfromcollegeintotheadultworld.Iwantedtoleavehimwithwordsthatwouldhavesomemeaning,somesignificancebeyondthemoment.

Butnothingcamefrommylips.NosoundbrokethestillnessofmybeachsidehomeonLongIsland.Outside,Icouldheartheshrillcriesofseagullsastheycircledtheever-changingsurf.Inside,Istoodfrozenandquiet,lookingintothesearchingeyesofmyson.

WhatmadeitmoredifficultwasthatIknewthiswasnotthefirsttimeIhadletsuchamomentpass.WhenDanielwasfive,Itookhimtotheschool-busstoponhisfirstdayofkindergarten.Ifeltthetensioninhishandholdingmineasthebusturnedthecorner.Isawcolorflushhischeeksasthebuspulledup.Hisquestioningeyeslookedupatmine.

Whatisitgoingtobelike,Dad?CanIdoit?WillIbeokay?Andthenhewalkedupthestepsofthebusanddisappearedinside.Andthebusdroveaway.AndIhadsaidnothing.

Adecadeorsolater,asimilarsceneplayeditselfout.Withhismother,IdrovehimtotheCollegeofWilliamandMaryinVirginia.Hisfirstnight,hewentoutwithhisnewschoolmates.Whenhemetusthenextmorning,hewassick.Hewascomingdownwithmononucleosis,butwecouldnotknowthatthen.Wethoughthehadahangover.

Inhisroom,DanlaystretchedoutonhisbedasIstartedtoleaveforthetriphome.Itriedtothinkofsomethingtosaytogivehimsomecourageandconfidenceashestartedthisnewphaseoflife.

Again,wordsfailedme.Imumbledsomethinglike,Hopeyoufeelbetter,Dan.AndIleft.

Now,asIstoodbeforehim,Ithoughtofthoselostopportunities.Howmanytimeshaveweallletsuchmomentspass?

Aparentdies,and,insteadofgivingaeulogyourselves,weletaclergymanspeak.AchildasksifSantaClausisreal,orwherebabiescomefrom,and,embarrassed,wesloughitoff.Whenadaughtergraduatesorasonismarried,wewatchthemgothroughthemotionsoftheceremony.Butwedon‘tseekoutourchildrenandfindaquietmomenttotellthemwhattheyhavemeanttous.Orwhattheymightexpecttofaceintheyearsahead.

Howfasttheyearshadpassed.DanielwasborninNewOrleans,slowtowalkandtalk,andsmallofstature.Hewasthetiniestinhisclass,buthedevelopedawarm,outgoingnatureandwaspopularwithhispeers.Hewascoordinatedandagile,andhebecameadeptinsports.

Baseballgavehimhisearliestchallenge.HewasanoutstandingpitcherinLittleLeague,expectingtomakeitbiginhighschool.Itdidn‘thappenthatway.Hefailedtomoveupfromthejuniorvarsityteam.Buthestuckitout.Eventually,asasenior,hemoveduptothevarsity.Hewonhalftheteam‘sgames.Atgraduation,thecoachnamedDanieltheteam‘smostvaluableplayer.

Hisfinesthour,though,cameataschoolsciencefair.Heenteredanexhibitshowinghowthecirculatorysystemworks.Hesketcheditoncardboard.Itwasprimitiveandcrude,especiallycomparedtothefancy,computerized,blinking-lightmodelsenteredbyotherstudents.Mywife,Sara,feltembarrassedforhim.

Itturnedoutthattheotherkidshadnotdonetheirownwork--theirparentshadmadetheirexhibits.Asthejudgeswentontheirrounds,theyfoundthattheseotherkidscouldn‘tanswertheirquestions.Danielansweredeveryone.WhenthejudgesawardedtheAlbertEinsteinPlaqueforthebestexhibit,theygaveittohim.

BythetimeDanielleftforcollegehestoodsixfeettallandweighed170pounds.Hewasmuscularandinsuperbcondition.Butheneverpitchedanotherinning.Hefoundthathecouldnotcombineathleticswithacademics.HegaveupbaseballforEnglishliterature.Iwassorrythathewouldnotdevelophisathletictalent,butproudthathehadmadesuchamaturedecision.HegraduatedwithaBaverage.

Oneday,ItoldDanielthatthegreatfailinginmylifehadbeenthatIdidn‘ttakeayearortwoofftotravelwhenIfinishedcollege.

Thisisthebestway,tomywayofthinking,tobroadenoneselfanddevelopalargerperspectiveonlife.OnceIhadmarriedandbegunworking,Ifoundthatthedreamoflivinginanotherculturehadvanished.

Danielthoughtaboutthis.HisYuppiefriendssaidthathewouldbeinsanetoputhiscareeronhold.Buthedecideditwasn‘tsocrazy.Aftergraduation,heworkedasawaiter,abikemessenger,andahousepainter.Withthemoneyheearned,hehadenoughtogotoParis.

Thenightbeforehewastoleave,Itossedinbed.Iwastryingtofigureoutsomethingtosay.Nothingcametomind.Maybe,Ithought,itwasn‘tnecessarytosayanything.

Whatdoesitmatterinthecourseofalifetimeifafathernevertellsasonwhathereallythinksofhim?ButasIstoodbeforeDaniel,Iknewthatitdoesmatter.MyfatherandIlovedeachother.Yet,Ialwaysregrettedneverhearinghimputhisfeelingsintowordsandneverhavingthememoryofthatmoment.

Now,Icouldfeelmypalmssweatandmythroattighten.Whyisitsohardtotellasonsomethingfromtheheart?Mymouthturneddry.IknewIwouldbeabletogetoutonlyafewwordsclearly.

Daniel,Isaid,ifIcouldhavepicked,Iwouldhavepickedyou.

That‘sallIcouldsay.Iwasn‘tsureheunderstoodwhatImeant.Thenhecametowardmeandthrewhisarmsaroundme.Foramoment,theworldandallitspeoplevanished,andtherewasjustDanielandme.

Hewassayingsomething,butmyeyesmistedover,andIcouldn‘tunderstandwhathewassaying.AllIwasawareofwasthestubbleonhischinashisfacepressedagainstmine.Andthen,themomentended,andDanielleftforFrance.

IthinkabouthimwhenIwalkalongthebeachonweekends.Thousandsofmilesaway,somewhereoutpasttheoceanwavesbreakingonthedesertedshore,hemightbescurryingacrossBoulevardSaintGermain,strollingthroughamustyhallwayoftheLouvre,bendinganelbowinaLeftBankcafé.

WhatIsaidtoDanielwasclumsyandtrite.Itwasnothing.Andyet,itwaseverything.