Unspoken

There once was a father who had one son.  His wife had died while giving birth to his son, so the father was forced to raise the child by himself.  The father loved the son deeply and worked very hard to provide for him and give him the best childhood he could.  He did everything a father would do, as well as everything a mother would do.  He worked hard all day in the factory and then worked late into the night caring for what was needed to maintain the home.  He lived a sacrificial life for the sake of his son.

As the boy grew, he remembered the kindness of his father and was very thankful.  But, there was something that always bothered him. He never remembered his father ever saying "I love you".  It remained a mystery and an insecurity in the man's heart well into his adult years.

One day, on a trip to visiting his father, the son found the strength to finally ask his father this very painful question.

"Father, why have you never told me you loved me?"

The father's heart sank. He could not believe the question from his son's lips. After a long pause, the father took the son's hand and said, "Son, I never stopped saying it."