First Embrace


A young man was struggling hard on a dirt road to keep up his pace on a very hot day. He looked like he had not taken a bath for a long time. From the look of his dirty, tattered clothes and his bare feet, one could say that he was a homeless person. He pressed on with heavy breathing and occasionally stopped to wipe the sweats off his forehead. Dried and thirsty as he was, he did not take a detour to find a drink of water.

He then slowed down and came to a complete stop, putting his hand above his eyes to see who was standing far ahead of him. It was an old man of rather high social status. Even on such a hot day, the old man had put on his best outfit and was very well-groomed. He patiently stood there waiting in the middle of the dirt road. It could have been hours...
The young man gathered whatever strength he had left and ran toward the old man with great emotions. He stopped right in the front of the old man, gathered his composure and whatever dignity he had left. He was speechless... His eyes met the old man's, begging for forgiveness. The old man said nothing, although tears were rolling down on his face already. He simply extended his welcome to the young man with opened arms. It had been a long time since someone embraced the young man with genuine love, but this time, it was even more, because it was the embrace of a father to his son who was once lost and now has found his way back.

by: Sang Le

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