The Blow that Never Came

When I was young, my father constantly told me, “Life hasn’t dealt you its hardest blow yet, son.”

These words stuck around in my subconscious for 38 years, almost all my life, so I’ve been anxiously waiting for that blow to come up and hit me! I was never really at ease. I was apprehensive because my father was my father, so he must be right. If he said a hard blow was coming to me, it must be a blow so hard I won’t be able to get up again…

Now 38 years have passed without this blow coming, and life has only offered me its countless beauties, so I guess there’s no point in me anxiously waiting for it any more. Of course, my dear father only had my best interests at heart. He was just trying to prepare me for the life he had experienced. Our parents grew up in much harder conditions than we did, and they simply wanted to prepare us for the hardships they had faced. While doing this, they tried to give us the best they could afford. I bow down with respect first to my own parents and then all other parents. I think that blow never came thanks to their selfless efforts.

Yet I don’t believe we need to continue teaching this to the next generation. Instead, I will ask my son and daughter if they know how to embrace life. I will tell them, “Life will embrace and hug you in such a way that beauty will surround and envelop you.” I will tell them they should open up their arms to the skies every morning and breathe in its sweet air. If I didn’t tell them this before, it’s only because I didn’t do it myself, but now I do. I allow myself to accept all the beauty life has to offer, because I know I deserve it. I know I am worthy of it. I know I am loved deeply. All I need do is spread out my arms and accept life’s warm embrace…

…with the wish that life’s embrace will be with us forever… with the wish that we will all realize this and open our arms.