Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: fathers (06/06/05)
-
TITLE: The Journal | Previous Challenge Entry
By toronto49 Aird
06/13/05 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
It was his father's journal. The beautifully leathered bound calendar was dark brown in color. The edges of the pages gave the appearance of being trimmed in gold and shimmered beautifully in the light. The journal was certainly uncharacteristic of the owner the young man thought.
His father had an unglamorous and mundane job of being a salesman for a third-rate cleaning product company. His assigned sales area encompassed all of Northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. His work required that he be away from home for days at a time. And when he was home it seemed that his spare time was taken up by the required expense and sales reports exacted by the company.
In that moment of time missed baseball games, birthdays, school performances, and a myriad of other lost opportunities with a traveling salesman father were resurrected. Angrily, he picked up the book and began to examine the cover and observed that even his father's personal journal had been neglected as it gave the appearance of being new.
Bolstered by the justifiable anger in his heart he boldly opened the journal. Inscribed from his mother to her husband and underneath her signature and the year 1984 she had written, "Honey, this journal goes with much love. I hope you are able to achieve your dreams and hopes -- I know you will!"
His heart sank. He ventured forth and began to thumb through the pages. To his amazement there were over 300 entries. Upon reading he became acquainted with a man who up unto that point was a stranger. Over and over again the demands of the sales job were evidenced as frustrated written expressions of not being with his family were penned. However, immediately following were words of gratefulness to God for a steady job in support of his wonderful family. Also captured were his father's regrets on missing key events in his family's life and his prayers for blessing upon them. He also prayed that his family would sense his presence and warm embrace during those special times.
Gently closing the journal the young man sat in silence. Words never spoken were spoken, feelings never expressed were expressed, and walls that separated came crashing down. A father’s difficult journey had reached the fulfilling destination of his son’s heart and a son was at peace.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
Blessings, Lynda