Healing Sights
Years ago, one Father’s Day, I had to hide, embarrassed by the flood of tears. But the tears were sweet, the ache in my chest a good hurt, a sign of a dislocated heart thunking back into its home.
My friend, a gentle brute of a man with a story of his own, effortlessly hoisted his little son up in his arms. He looked into his boy’s eyes for a brief second. Both eyes overtaken with love, acceptance. A gentle peck on the forehead. Those shoulders enveloped the boy, and the boy’s shoulders wrapped around his daddy’s tree-trunk neck. Unquestionable belonging, unshakable security.
For that brief moment, I saw myself as a little boy in the arms of a father that couldn’t get enough of me.
I savored that sight in my heart, and it served to remind me of what I really hunger for whenever I began another witless search for an anonymous set of strong shoulders on a glowing screen. Sights like these would increase my distaste for the sea-water I chugged from week to week.
I want to put together a safe place you can come to whenever you feel that same tug, for a drink from a fresher source.
This is where I need your help. If you find something out there that touches you in the same way, clip it and send it on my way, to david@realhungry.com. Send me pictures of fathers and sons, fathers and daughters, grown brothers in healthy embrace. Send me stories, send me clips of movies. Send me songs about the father’s heart. You’ll get big points if you can find many Asian dads and granddads. I will collect these “Better Bites” at realhungry.com/for/sights/
I’m looking forward to what we can bring together.
David.
