Don't Stop Children From Growing Up

We always like to tell our children what or how they should think, feel or do. We remind them over and over again the things they must forgo and avoid. Like many others, we cannot resist measuring their progresses and achievements by our own yardsticks. But our guidance or assistance, and our overzealous and overpowering concerns do not seem to do much good. Family ties slowly deteriorate and weaken. This disrupts our relationship with one another. As time goes by, we suddenly realize that we become strangers.

We have learned important lessons from our past experiences. Sometimes, we have lived up to our expectations. Often we have fallen into great failures and depressions. Our past experiences make us what we are today. We are now of stronger character and able to stand strong. We expect our children to be like us and always listen to us. There goes a common saying that we eats more salt than the children eat rice.

It is hurting to behold our children fail in their endeavors. It is sad to watch them from afar struggling to match up to their race. But they refuse our assistance and our guidance because they want to act tough like their parents, not knowing that their parents were once as weak as them when they were young.

It is time to mend our relationships. Let us stop imposing our ways and values on our young ones. Let us rather stay beside them helping them to realize their vision, their interests and ambitions.

We take it for granted that what we have experienced have made us grow up. Most of us are conservative. Children must always respect and obey their elders. Failures to do so mean infidelity and rebellion.

We have done so much to discipline our young ones. We are scared that they may fall into similar troubles. But no matter how hard we try, we can never stop them from getting hurt and getting more scars both inside and outside.

Our life's scars remind us of our struggles, our victories and our failures. But they never stop us from facing the next life storm. If we are ready for any life storm, can't we rest assured that the Almighty God can carry our young ones through their next life storm?

A Salty Coffee

He met her at a party.

She was so outstanding, many guys chasing after her while he was so ordinary, nobody paid attention to him.

At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised, but being polite, she agreed.

They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything, she felt uncomfortable. She thought, please, let me go home.

Suddenly he asked the waiter, "would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee."

Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but still he put the salt in his coffee and drank it.

She asked him curiously, "why do you have this fetish?"

He replied: "when I was a little boy, I lived near the sea, I liked playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown. I miss my hometown so much. I miss my parents who still live there".

While saying that, tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched. That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart.

A man who can speak out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home, cares about home, and has responsibility of home.

Then she also started to speak, spoke about her far away home town, her childhood, and her family. They had a really nice talk and so also a beautiful beginning of their story.

They continued to date. She found out that he was the man who met all her demands; he had tolerance, he was kind-hearted, warm, and careful. He was such a good person and she almost missed him!

Thanks to his salty coffee! Their story was just like every other beautiful love story. The princess married to the prince, and they were having a happy life.

Now, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee, as she knew that's the way he liked it.

After 40 years, he passed away, leaving her a letter which said:

"My dearest,

Please forgive me. Forgive my lie. This was the only lie I said to you − the salty coffee.

Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time. Actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt. It was hard for me to change. So I just went ahead. I never thought that could be the start of our communication!

I tried my best to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do so, because I had promised myself not to lie to you anymore.

Now I'm dying, I'm not afraid of anything anymore. So I decide to tell you the truth: I don't like the salty coffee. What a strange bad taste. But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life!

Seasoned Love

Having you with me is my biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for the second time, I still want to know you and have you for the rest of my life, even though I have to drink the salty coffee again".

Her tears totally made the letter wet.

Someday, someone asked her: "what's the taste of salty coffee?"

"It's sweet." She replied.