Everything We Never Had

by Randy Ribay

Chris vows to never be a man like that. A father like that. If he ever has children, he will not force them to live some narrow life defined by narrow-minded ideas. He will make sure they know where they come from so that they can be whoever they are, so that they can become whoever they want to become. And he will love the hell out of them no matter what.

“You honestly think the two of us apologizing to that boy for getting into a simple argument is going to fix him?” Chris lets out a short angry burst of laughter. “God, Dad, how many times do I have to tell you? It’s not about fixing him. It’s about doing what’s right.” “It’s not my fault he’s so…sensitive.” “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” “Isn’t it?” “No—it’s beautiful.”

“So, yeah, it’s doing all that stuff you did to take care of someone. But it’s also knowing them. Like, really, truly understanding them as a person as much as possible. It’s getting out of the way and allowing them the freedom to be that person. It’s being proud, not when they fulfill your own expectations or conditions but when they live in a way that aligns with who they are. It’s a whole lot of other stuff, too, that I can’t put into words. That’s the love I’m trying to give to Enzo, at least.”

the present is the past is the future.