Don't Cry for Me

by Daniel Black

People say God knows how much we can bear, but sometimes I’m not so sure.

Just remember that, although we were flawed, we were marvelous, too.

Reading taught me that a man’s life is his own responsibility, his own creation. Blaming others is a waste of time. No one can make you happy if you’re determined to be miserable.

I never knew how to love. I dreamed of it, but I never experienced it. What I knew was pain. So that’s what I gave you.

Love doesn’t make us perfect; it makes us want to be. By the time you discover this, your imperfections have done their damage.

You must learn to uproot unwanted seeds without destroying the entire harvest. This is the son’s lesson. Nurture good sprouts, Isaac. Toss weeds aside and never think of them again. Just remember that sprouts and weeds are planted together, and weeds have a valuable function. They teach you what to avoid, what not to embrace. There is no good planting without them.