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A New Perspective



As the young man raced forward, a deep pain inside compelled him to stop. Doubt had begun to creep in.

Over the years, he had distanced himself from those who weren't as successful as him. He had shunned the efforts of his cousins and classmates to contact him.

Does anyone here remember me? Is anyone expecting me?

Perhaps if he had stayed in touch, he would have known earlier that his father was in the hospital with just a few days left. Perhaps he would have known to expect such a large crowd.

As he joined the line, he thought to himself, Perhaps it will be easy for me to mingle in and learn my father's secret. Perhaps I'll finally learn what I need to learn.


He had barely been in line a few moments when a hoarse voice whispered over his shoulder, "Your father was a great man."

He turned and saw a woman, about his age and height. Rain was running in rivulets down her face. Her expensively-cut designer suit was soaked.

He wondered how this complete stranger could possibly know who he was.

"You're his son, aren't you? I can see the resemblance!" she exclaimed as though she'd read his mind.

Brushing strands of wet hair from her eyes, she added, "He talked so often, so lovingly, about you."

Placing her hand on his shoulder, she said, "You must be crushed. He was such a wonderful human being. He changed my life completely. He changed my whole world!"

He stood there for a moment, his hands trembling, uncertain of what to say or do next. In a gush of emotion, he turned to her and asked, "How did you know my father? What did he do to change your life?"


The young man tried to banish the thoughts coursing through his mind. Did Father give her a job? Did he help her pay her way through school? Did he loan her money?

The woman smiled. "He didn't actually do anything for me at all!"

He felt his breath slowly leak out of him.

How can you make a difference in someone's life without doing anything for them? he wondered again.

She stepped back and examined him up and down. "I've known your father for about a year, but I don't think I've seen you here before."

Something cracked inside the young man in that moment, as if a dam filled with years of guilt and anger had burst open. "I was too absorbed in myself, too caught up in my own life. You haven't seen me before because I hardly came here."

He sobbed quietly, lips clenched together, tears drenching his face again. "But now I'm finally here. And I want. I need. I desperately need. To know my father. Please. Help me. I've lost so much time."

She squeezed his hand, nodding that she understood. "I know all about what you're going through. I, too, have a history of staying away from those who love me."


She swallowed as if debating whether to continue. "My life was a mess when I first met your father."

Hastily, she pulled a tissue out of her purse and dabbed her eyes. In barely a whisper, she continued. "Things started looking up after I met him!"

She curled her hands toward herself and looked at her fingertips. He noticed a diamond ring on her left hand. She followed his gaze and added, "All this — all this success — happened after I met your father!"

The young man started to ask a question but stopped when he realized she wasn't quite done.

She continued, "A few weeks ago —" Abruptly, she stopped. Her lips quivered for a brief moment, then she covered her face in her hands.

He moved closer to her and put his hand on her shoulder. Slowly, her trembling subsided. Gazing into his eyes, she exclaimed, "It was just a few weeks ago!"

She dabbed her eyes with the back of her hands. "A few weeks ago, over a cup of tea, I asked your father —"



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Front Cover
The First Page
An Ending
A New Perspective
The First Simple Shift
The Second Simple Shift
The Third Simple Shift
A Challenge


Yes, You Can Change the World - Order the Book
 

Yes, You Can Change the World by Aman Motwane
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