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When I am no longer there ": Father writes letters to his son

A father writes goodbye letters with advice to his son
Photo: iStock
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  1. Wise advice for a lifetime
  2. The first letter had the title: When I am no longer there
  3. The second letter had the title: If you have a quarrel with your mother
  4. The letter, when you marry, moved me a lot. But not as much as the letter when you become a father
  5. The shortest letter was also the most painful. When your mother dies
  6. When you realize that you are gay
  7. When your time has come

Wise advice for a lifetime

A father dies far too early and writes farewell letters full of wise advice to his son, who will accompany him for a lifetime.

We found this story from Auto Rafael Zoehler and just had to share it with you!

Death always comes as a surprise. No one awaits him, even people who are terminally ill do not expect to die within a few days. In a week maybe, but only if this week is next week. We are never ready and never the right time.

When my father died, it was no different. He was just 27 years old. He was too young, much too young, but the cancer seeks his victims out. He died when I was just eight, old enough to miss him for a lifetime. He died before I had enough memories and yet I felt the pain. My father was knitting and loving too much. Before he gave me house arrest, he told me a joke.

He did not tell me he was going to die. Even when he was in the hospital and connected to hoses, he still made plans for the time he was released. And then he was suddenly dead.

But one last time, he was still a father to me. A nurse approached me with a shoebox full of envelopes. She hugged me and said, "Your daddy wrote those letters for a week and he asked me to give them to you.

The first letter had the headline: When I'm no longer there

Son,

If you read this, I'm dead. I'm sorry, I knew I was going to die. I did not tell you because I did not want to see you cry. I think a dying man may be a bit selfish.

As you can see, there are many things I want to teach you, because you know nothing about life. That's why I wrote these letters for you. But you can only open it at the right moment, promise me that! OK? Then we have a deal.

I love you. Take care of your mother, you are now the man in the house.

In love, dad

PS: I did not write letters to your mother, she gets my car

I stopped crying as I noticed his awful handwriting. The letter made me laugh. From one day to the next, this shoebox became the most important possession in my life. I knew instinctively in which stages he would accompany me with a letter and still it took a few years until I was allowed to open the next.

Seven years later we moved and I somehow misplaced the shoebox and started forgetting it . I became a teenager and my mother got to know a new man. She never remarried, but she was with some men. I found them all worthless, my mother had earned something better. I still remember the slap she gave me when she said she picked up the guy in some bar. I deserved it. And suddenly the shoebox came back to me.

The second letter had the title: If you have a quarrel with your mother

Apologize to your mother! I do not know why you were fighting or not who is right. But an apology is the best way to get a fight out of the world.

She is your mother, boy. She loves you more than anything else in the world. She gave birth to you naturally, with no painkillers, because that was best for you. Have you ever seen a birth? Do you know how painful that is? Is there a greater proof of love for you?

Excuse me, she will forgive you.

In love, dad

My father's words immediately convinced me. I knocked on my mother's door, entered and she cried. I approached her, showed her my father's letter, apologized and hugged her. The letter made her laugh. We reconciled and talked about him a bit. She told me a few things about him that I did not know and suddenly I felt like he was sitting right next to us.

My father accompanied me for a lifetime. He was with me, although he was not present. His words gave me courage and strength to master difficult situations in my life and he always managed to make me laugh.

The letter, when you marry, moved me a lot. But not as much as the letter when you become a father

Now you know what true love is, son. You will love your wife unconditionally, but no love is as pure and deep as your own child. I do not know if it's a boy or a girl, unfortunately I'm not a fortune teller.

Enjoy every second, time will pass so fast. Be there for your child. Do not miss a moment, they will not come back. Be a good role model, I know you have what it takes.

In love, dad

The shortest letter was also the most painful. When your mother dies

Now she is mine!

In love, dad

A joke. It was the first letter that did not make me laugh, even though I understood the joke.

I've stuck to the deal for a lifetime, opening the letters when it's time. But one thing never happened, so I decided to open the letter anyway, it was the one that made me laugh the most.

When you realize that you are gay

What can I say? I'm glad I'm dead!

No, fun aside! Now that I'm dying, I realize that we worry too much about things that are not important. That does not change anything for me! Just be happy!

In love, dad

I have eagerly awaited every other letter and have absorbed my father's words like a sponge. In retrospect, it's amazing how much my 27-year-old father taught me in 85 years. Now I'm lying in a hospital bed myself, tubing everywhere, weakened by that damned cancer. Slowly, my hands are stroking the last letter, the headline is already completely blurred.

When your time has come

Hello son, I hope you are an old man, if you read this.

This letter was the easiest for me to write, but it will be the hardest to read for you. He scared me of losing you. You see more clearly when the end is near. We can talk about it easier.

In my last days I have thought a lot about my life. I had a simple life, but I was happy. I was allowed to be your father and your mother's husband. I could not have wished for more from life. This realization has given me peace, do yourself the same favor.

My last advice to you: Do not be afraid, there is no reason for it.

In love, dad

PS: I miss you!

(ww2)

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