Sunrise Reflections
I wanted to be a morning person when I was younger but as I watched the sun rise over another sleepless night, I realized this wasn’t quite what I meant. It was another day in university as I completed the work required of me to get the grades needed for graduate school. I wanted to be a diplomat and everyday was a test of grit.
As I looked out the library windows, I remembered the years my father had worked tirelessly to provide this place for me. He lived a grueling schedule: hours at a construction site each day to wear out his body and another eight at a desk that numbed his mind. A few hours at the library to repay a debt was nothing to what he lived out.
Every time I thought of quitting, I felt guilty. For as long as I had known, my father would be at work for all my waking hours. The only time I saw him was when he woke me up before he went to bed for a few precious hours.
It was never explicitly said out loud, but there was a pressure to achieve something that made his sacrifices worth it. My studies became my debt.
I remember the regret in my father’s eyes as he saw me living his dream. Even though he was happy for me, my father told me as soon as my mother was off the call that this was his legacy. “The bee works for himself but primarily for the colony. The success of one is a victory for the entire family and you, little bee, are my success.”
I left the library to go to my classes.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleHi Sophie and welcome to Voice.club. This is a very enjoyable read. I particularly liked the father’s words near the end—it summarised the whole meaning behind your story in just a few words. Nicely done.
This is, I believe, personal, reflecting as it does some of my own experiences, albeit without the academic success. As a former bee-keeper I can say that the ending is so, so true. Very well done and let’s have more!
Great story – I love writing!
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleHello, Sophie. Welcome to voice club. I actually admire your first story. It is a great Father’s day tribute to all the fathers. Like Carrie, I also love the father’s words in the second paragraph from the end. Well done. Keep on writing.