More than I realized, Dad has helped me keep my balance.
When I was growing up, I was embarrassed to be seen with my father.He was severely disabled and very 1 , and when we walked together, his hand on my arm for 2 , people would stare.I would inwardly feel uncomfortable at the unwanted 3 .If he ever noticed or was bothered, he never 4 that he knew.
It was 5 to coordinate(调整)our steps-his hesitant, mine impatient-and because of that, we didn’t 6 much as we went along.But as we started out, he always said, “You set the 7 .I will try to follow you.”
Our usual walk was to or from the subway, which was 8 he got to work.He went to work despite illnesses and nasty weather.He almost never missed a day and would 9 it to the office 10 others couldn’t.A matter of pride.
He never talked about himself as an object of pity, nor did he show any envy of the more fortunate or 11 .What he looked for 12 others was a “good heart” and if he found one, the 13 was good enough for him.
Now that I am older, I believe that his idea is a proper 14 by which to judge people, even though I 15 don’t know exactly what a “good heart” is. 16 I know the times when I don’t have one myself.
He has been gone many years now, but I think of him often.I wonder if he 17 I was unwilling to be seen with him during our 18 .Now I am sorry that I never told him how sorry I was for my feeling 19 to be with him in public and how unworthy I felt to be his daughter.I think of him when I complain about trifles(something unimportant), when I am envious of another’s good fortune, and when I don’t possess a“good heart”.
At such times I put my hand on his arm to 20 my balance, and say, “You set the pace.I will try to follow you.”