As a young man, Aaron was a skilled artist, a potter. He had a wife and two fine sons. One night, his older son developed a stomachache. Thinking it was some
1 disorder, neither Aaron nor his wife took the condition very seriously. But the illness was actually severe and the boy 2 suddenly that night.
The son's death could have been prevented if he had only3 the seriousness of the situation! Aaron's emotional health got 4 under the heavy burden of his guilt (内疚). What's worse, his wife left him a short time later, leaving him alone with his six-year-old younger son. The hurt and pain of the two situations were more than Aaron could handle, and he 5 alcohol (酒精) to help him cope. In time Aaron became an alcoholic (酗酒者).
As the alcoholism (酗酒) 6, Aaron began to lose everything he possessed — his home, his land, his art objects, everything. 7, Aaron died alone in a San Francisco motel room.
When I heard of Aaron's death, I reacted like most people who show no respect for one ending his life with nothing material to show for it. "What a complete failure!" I thought. "What a8 life!"
As time went by, I began to reevaluate my earlier cold9. You see, I knew Aaron's now adult son, Ernie. He has a family and he is one of the kindest, most caring, most loving men I have ever known. I watched Ernie with his 10. I saw the free flow of 11 between them. I knew that kindness and consideration had to come from somewhere.
I hadn't heard Ernie talk much about his father. It is so hard to12 an alcoholic. One day I worked up my courage to 13 him. "I'm really 14 by something," I said." I know your father was basically the only one to 15 you. What on earth did he do to make you become such a special person?"
Ernie sat quietly and thought for a few moments. Then he said," From my earliest memories as a child until I left home at 18, Aaron came into my room every night, gave me a16 and said, 'I love you, son.'"
Tears came to my eyes as I realized what a fool I had been to judge Aaron as a(n)17. He had not 18 any material possessions to his son. But he had been a kind loving 19. He 20 one of the finest, most giving men I have ever known.
