Father’s Day this year has come and gone. Fortunately, the special connection between father and child lasts a bit longer. It grows and matures into eternity, like the rising of the sun every morning on the horizon. Even if we can’t see it on a foggy day, we know it’s there.

My good friend Kate forwarded me a beautiful poem the other day. It was written by a Chinese father to his child when he found out he had terminal cancer.

It didn’t come with a title. So I gave it one of “我 從 不 曾 離 去”, I Never Left.

我從不曾離去 當你們不再看見我的時候 孩子，我卻從不曾離去 早晨，陽光照進你的門窗，你是否感到溫暖？ 孩子，我就在你的身旁 日落時，微風拂過樹梢， 在沙沙作響的枝葉聲中 孩子，你可聽到風中夾雜著我的言語？ 夜深時刻，當清涼的月光從門縫滲入 那時我正躡手躡腳，深情的凝視著你 我的孩子，縱然你從此不再看見我，我卻從來不曾離去。

My humble translation:

I Never Left If you can’t see me anymore, my child, know that I am still around In the morning, the sun shines through your door, your window Don’t you feel the radiant warmth? I am right here At sunset, the gentle breeze touches the branches and caresses the leaves Among the endeared rustling, can you hear my whispers? I am right here In the midst of the night, when the cool moon quietly slips into your room That is me tiptoeing inside, watching in silence your beautiful face My child, you may not see my physical presence I am right here Because I never left

The author’s name is 楊育正 Yang Yu Zheng. Yang was an oncologist and the superintendent of Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taiwan. I never had the fortune of meeting this tender father. Neither did I know if his poem was copyrighted. If it was, I hope he and his family would forgive me as my intention is to spread his spirit and love to other parents and children.

Last October, I had a sudden and almost fatal illness. I didn’t know it was coming and I didn’t know I was going to die. And I didn’t have Dr. Yang’s erudition and wisdom to write a touching poem. I didn’t leave my children a last letter.

But I do have two children who are much smarter than their dad. On Father’s Day, my son Brandon came to visit and took me out to lunch. He also gave me a card, in which he wrote:

Still can’t believe you’re alive It brings a whole new perspective on life I don’t know who to thank for keeping you around So let’s enjoy the time we have together Thanks for always being there for me

Yes, let’s, my children. I liked it so much I bought him coffee afterward.

The love between parents and children is an interesting thing. You can’t pinpoint it. You can’t clearly and precisely describe it. It comes in all languages, shapes and forms. But we know it is there, even when we are no longer here.

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