In a crash course in psychology, the professor gave the assignment to the students: “Within a week, you go to someone you love, and tell them that you love them. They are people that you never or rarely told such words.”
The assignment looked easy. However, almost the men of the course, who were over 30 years old, found it difficult to carry out because rarely had the expressed their feelings to someone else.
At the beginning of the next class, the professor asked his students to retell their stories. It seemed that he waited for a woman, but an arm of a man raised. He looked so touched. He began his story:
“Five years ago, my father and I had a vicious disagreement and never really resolved it. We avoided seeing each other unless we absolutely had to at family gatherings. Even those times, we hardly spoke. So by the time I got home, I had convinced myself I was going to tell my father I loved him.
Just making that decision seemed to lift a heavy load off my chest. During that night, I hardly sleep. Next day, I was at my parents’ house ringing the doorbell, praying that Dad would answer the door. I was afraid if Mom answered, I would chicken out and tell her instead. But as luck would have it, Dad did answer the door.
‘I didn’t waste any time’ – I took one step in the door and said, ‘Dad, I just came over to tell you that please forgive me and I love you.’
It was as if a transformation came over my dad. Before my eyes his face softened, the wrinkles seemed to disappear and he began to cry. He reached out and hugged me and said, ‘I love you too, son, but I’ve never been able to say it.’
But that’s not even my point. Two days after that visit, my dad had a sudden heart attack and now is still in the hospital. If I am still hesitating about talking to my father, I may not have no chance to do so.”
No man truly has joy unless he lives in love.
– St. Thomas Aquinas
You must give time to your fellow men – even if it’s a little thing.
– Albert Schweitzer
