Don't Cry for Me

by Daniel Black

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.

All I think of now is you. This means I love you. I feel it in my heart—that sense that nothing and no one else matters. I’ve always wanted to know that feeling, and now I do. The sad thing is that you won’t hear me say I’m sorry. But I did say it. Perhaps in this letter you’ll feel it, hear it in my tone, and let my words love you better than I ever did.

Just one last request: tell people I tried. If there is a funeral, and if you attend it, please tell them I tried. You are free to say I failed, too, for, in so many ways, tha...