[00:05.09]After Mom died, I began visiting Dad every morning before I went to work.
[00:11.19]He was frail and moved slowly, but he always had a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice for me.
[00:18.38]Such a gesture, I knew, was as far as Dad had ever been able to go in expressing his love.
[00:24.58]In fact, I remember, as a kid I had questioned Mom”Why doesn’t Dad love me?”
[00:30.79]Mom frowned,”Who said he doesn’t love you?”
[00:34.28]“Well, he never tells me,” I complained.
[00:37.44]“He never tells me either,” she said, smiling,”
[00:41.03]But look how hard he works to take care of us, to buy us food and clothes, and to pay for this house.
[00:48.21]That’s how your father tells us he loves us.”
[00:51.48]Every time after drinking the juice my father had squeezed for me, I would walk over, hug him and say, “I love you, Dad.”
[01:00.84]My father never told me how he felt about my hugs, and there was never any expression on his face when I gave them.
[01:07.93]Then one morning, pressed for time, I drank my juice and made for the door.
[01:13.16]Dad stepped in front of me and asked,”Well?”
[01:16.97]“Well what?” I asked, knowing exactly what.
[01:20.45]“Well?” he repeated, looking everywhere but at me.
[01:24.48]I hugged him extra hard.
[01:27.20]Now was the right time to say what I’d always wanted to.
[01:30.80]“I’m fifty years old, Dad, and you’ve never told me you love me.”
[01:35.04]My father stepped away from me. He picked up the empty juice glass, washed it and put it away.
[01:41.36]“You’ve told other people you love me,” I said, “but I’ve never heard it from you.”
[01:47.34]Dad looked very uncomfortable.
[01:50.18]I moved closer to him,”Dad, I want you to tell me you love me.”
[01:54.20]Dad took a step back, his lips pressed together.
[01:58.02]He seemed about to speak, and then shook his head. “Tell me,” I shouted.”
[02:03.46]All right, I love you.” Dad finally blurted, his eyes glistened, then overflowed.
[02:09.36]I stood before him, stunned and silent.
[02:12.53]My father loved me so much that just saying so made him weep.
[02:17.24]Mom had been right.
[02:19.21]Every day of my life Dad had told me how much he loved me by what he did and what he gave.
[02:25.33]“I know, Dad,”I said,”I know.”And now at last I did.
