English Original
In a world where so many lives are being torn apart by divorces and heartaches, comes a story of a father and a daughter, and a promise that was kept.
My father was not a sentimental man. I don't remember him ever "ooohhing" or "ahhing" over something I made as a child. I knew that my dad loved me, but getting all mushy-eyed was not his thing. I learned that he showed me love in other ways.
There was one particular time in my life when this became real to me. I always believed that my parents had a good marriage, but just before I turned sixteen, my belief was sorely tested. My father, who used to share in the chores, gradually started becoming despondent. From the time he came home from the factory to bedtime, he hardly spoke a word. The strain on their relationship was evident. I was not prepared for the day Mom sat my siblings and me down and told us Dad had decided to leave. I was going to become a product of a divorced family. I kept telling myself it wasn't going to happen, and I went totally numb when I knew he was really leaving.
The night before he left, I stayed up, prayed, cried, and wrote a long letter. I told him how much I loved and would miss him, that I was praying for him, and that, no matter what, Jesus and I loved him. I told him I would always be his Krissie...his Noodles. I stuck in a picture of me with a saying: "Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a daddy."
Early the next morning, as my dad left, I sneaked out to the car and slipped my letter into one of his bags.
Two weeks went by with hardly a word. Then, one afternoon, I came home to find my mom waiting. She had been crying. She told me Dad had been there, they had talked for a long time, and decided their marriage was worth saving.
Mom then asked, "Kristi, Dad told me you wrote him a letter. Can I ask what you wrote?"
I found it hard to share. I mumbled a few words and shrugged.
Mom said, "Dad said when he read your letter, it made him cry. It meant a lot to him. After he read it, he called to ask if he could come over to talk. Whatever you said really made a difference."
A few days later my dad was back, this time to stay. We never talked about the letter. I guess I always figured it was a secret between us.
My parents went on to be married for thirty-six years before my dad's early death at fifty-three. In the last sixteen years, we witnessed a truly "great" marriage. Their love grew stronger every day, and my heart swelled with pride.
When they received the news that his heart was deteriorating rapidly, they faced it hand in hand.
After Dad's death, we had to go through his things. I opted to run errands to avoid it.
When I returned, my brother said, "Kristi, Mom said to give this to you. She said you would know what it meant."
In his outstretched hand was my picture from that day so long ago. My unsentimental dad, who almost never outwardly showed his love, had kept it. I sat down and the tears began to flow. Mom told me Dad kept both the picture and the letter his whole life.
I have a "Dad box" in my home. I pull that picture out every once in a while and remember. I remember a promise made between a young man and his bride, and the unspoken promise between a father and his daughter.
中文翻译
在一个因离婚和心碎而支离破碎的世界里，这是一个关于父女和一份信守承诺的故事。
我的父亲不是一个多愁善感的人。我不记得他对我儿时做的东西发出过“哇哦”或“啊哈”的赞叹。我知道父亲爱我，但泪眼婆娑不是他的风格。我明白了他用其他方式表达爱。
在我生命中的某个特定时刻，这一点变得无比真实。我一直相信父母婚姻美满，但就在我十六岁前夕，我的信念受到了严峻考验。曾经分担家务的父亲逐渐变得沮丧消沉。从工厂下班回家到上床睡觉，他几乎一言不发。他们关系的紧张显而易见。当母亲让我们兄弟姐妹坐下，告诉我们父亲决定离开时，我毫无准备。我将成为一个离婚家庭的产物。我不断告诉自己这不会发生，当我知道他真的要走时，我完全麻木了。
他离开的前一晚，我熬夜祈祷、哭泣，写了一封长信。我告诉他我多么爱他、会多么想念他，我正在为他祈祷，并且无论发生什么，耶稣和我都爱他。我告诉他我将永远是他的克丽丝……他的“面条”。我附上了一张我的照片，上面写着一句常听到的话：“任何人都可以成为父亲，但成为爸爸需要特别的人。”
第二天一大早，父亲离开时，我偷偷溜到车旁，把信塞进他的一个包里。
两周过去了，几乎没有父亲的消息。然后，一天下午，我回家发现母亲在等我。她哭过。她告诉我父亲来过，他们长谈了一次，决定他们的婚姻值得挽救。
母亲接着问：“克丽丝蒂，爸爸告诉我你给他写了一封信。我能问问你写了什么吗？”
我很难分享。我咕哝了几句，耸了耸肩。
母亲说：“爸爸说，他读你的信时哭了。这对他意义重大。读完信后，他打电话问是否可以过来谈谈。无论你说了什么，真的改变了他。”
几天后，父亲回来了，这次是留下来。我们从未谈论过那封信。我想我一直认为那是我们之间的秘密。
我的父母继续婚姻生活了三十六年，直到父亲五十三岁早逝。在最后的十六年里，我们见证了一段真正“伟大”的婚姻。他们的爱日益深厚，我的心充满自豪。
当他们得知他的心脏正在迅速恶化时，他们携手并肩，共同面对。
父亲去世后，我们不得不整理他的遗物。我选择跑腿办事来避开。
当我回来时，哥哥说：“克丽丝蒂，妈妈让我把这个给你。她说你会明白它的意义。”
他伸出的手里，是那张我很久以前给他的照片。我那从不外露情感的父亲，几乎从未公开表达过爱意的父亲，一直保存着它。我坐下来，泪水开始流淌。母亲告诉我，父亲一生都保存着那张照片和那封信。
我家里有一个“爸爸盒子”。我偶尔会拿出那张照片回忆。我记得一个年轻男子和他的新娘在婚礼当天许下的承诺，也记得一位父亲和他的女儿之间那份无言的承诺。