Daniel was a
dreamer who was
always thinking
of different
things to do, so
he would always
imagine himself
climbing
mountains, going
down the rapids
of a river,
flying a hang
glider.
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He lived with
his head always
in the clouds,
far from his
reality which
was going to
school, doing
his homework,
tidying up his
room, taking
care of his dog
and everything
else that
represented his
daily chores.
And Daniel one
day, after
spending hours
looking into the
distance, asked
his father:
- Dad, can you
take me to climb
a mountain? I
have seen it on
television and
it does not seem
that hard.
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The father put
the newspaper
aside and said,
full of
patience:
- Daniel, my
son, you live
with your little
head in the
clouds! Climbing
mountains is
dangerous and
contrary to what
you think is
extremely
difficult and
requires a lot
of skill and
strength. Come
down to our
reality. If you
want to be
active, why not
exercise in any
sport?
The boy thought
for a moment and
replied:
- I have no
interest in
sports, Dad.
But, what if we
went on holiday
near a river
that has rapids?
I think it is
great to see
people in boats
going down the
rapids!
Again the father
looked at his
son and
considered:
- Son, you do
not even know
how to swim, how
can you dream of
venturing into
the dangerous
currents of
rivers? But
here's an
interesting
idea: learn how
to swim! ...
Annoyed, the boy
stomped his foot
on the floor.
- Daddy! You
never agree with
what I say! You
are always
against my
wishes. I do not
want to learn
how to swim. In
addition, to go
down the rapids,
they wear life
jackets, got
it?
Despondent, the
boy walked away
thinking: My
father does not
like me. He is
always against
everything that
I want to do! He
never helps me
at all!
And the distance
between Daniel
and his father
only grew
because, trying
to bring the
child back to
reality, he
would demand:
- My son, have
you done your
homework? Have
you fed your
dog? Did you
tidy up your
room?
And Daniel was
very angry
because he did
not like to do
his chores.
One day his
father asked
him:
- Daniel, would
you like to go
camping? I
bought a tent
and everything
we need for
camping. We are
both still on
vacation. So, we
can leave
tomorrow morning
and return
Sunday
afternoon. We
will be out
camping for
three days. What
do you think?
The boy accepted
enthusiastically.
After all, his
father had
proposed
something
interesting. Not
quite what he'd
like to do, but
still it was the
beginning of an
adventure.
They stocked up
with food and
all that was
necessary. After
putting
everything in
the car, they
said goodbye to
his mother and
departed.
The day was
beautiful and
sunny. They
parked in a
secluded park.
Daniel, excited,
said he would
put the tent
together and the
father agreed,
but as he got
things from the
car, he watched
the boy.
The problems
began. The boy
thought it was
easy, but after
a while he still
could not set it
up, and
acknowledged the
difficulty. The
father took the
manual and
said:
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- Here you go,
son. You have to
learn how to do
it first.
As Daniel was
tired, his
father helped
him. Soon the
tent was up. Now
they needed to
think about
their meal. The
father asked his
son to go pick
some sticks for
a fire, which he
did, but then
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they
could
not find
matches
to light
the
fire,
because
they had
forgotten
to bring
them. |
- And now what,
Dad? How will we
do it?
The father told
his son not to
worry. He had
been a boyscout
as a kid and
knew how to
light the fire.
So with the fire
lit, they got a
pot to cook the
pasta, but the
water they had
brought had been
spilled when
they tried to
retrieve it from
the car. So
father and son
had to fetch
water in the
nearby river,
returning
exhausted by the
effort.
Some time later,
they managed to
cook the pasta.
Daniel was
starving and
thought the
pasta was
great!
That night, as
there was
nothing to do,
they just talked
by the fire. The
father began to
tell things from
the time he was
a child and his
group of
boyscouts camped
out in the
woods. He told
funny stories,
dangerous
situations, of
how much he had
learned at that
time and how
much it had
helped him
throughout his
life.
Daniel began to
ask questions,
amazed at all
that his father
knew. He was now
seeing him with
other eyes,
someone who only
now he got to
know and he
actually felt
much closer to
him.
They slept
early. The next
morning, when
Daniel woke up
his father had
already made
coffee and
heated the milk.
The boy was
hungry and ate
the stale bread
with joy, which
at home he would
have rejected.
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The two went
exploring the
surroundings and
with the sun
beating up,
tired, they
arrived at a
river. Finding a
small boat, they
decided to ride
it. The boat
rocked and
Daniel almost
fell overboard.
He sat up,
startled, and
his father gave
him an oar,
teaching him how
to row. After
awhile, the boy
was exhausted,
and they
returned to the
riverside.
The days passed
quickly and they
needed to
return. At home,
they were
greeted
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with joy
by his
mother
who was
waiting
anxiously.
Daniel
was a
different
boy and
had much
to
tell: |
- Mom, I learned
how to light a
fire, set up the
tent, how to
row, fish and
more! And all
this I owe to my
father.
At that moment,
Daniel
remembered
something and
looking at his
father with
respect and
admiration, he
said:
- Dad, today is
Father's Day!
Congratulations
on your day! In
fact, you
deserved a
present but I am
the one who got
a gift! Thanks
for everything!
Thanks! ...
- These days we
spent together
were "my" gift,
son.
They exchanged a
big and
affectionate
hug, happy
because of the
understanding
that now existed
between them.
Now they were
more than father
and son, they
were partners
for life.
Meimei
(Psychographed
by Celia X. de
Camargo, on
18/07/2011.)
