Listen son, I’m telling you these while you sleep. You put your little hand under your cheek, your blonde curls on your damp forehead are sticky and wet. I crept into your room like a thief. A few minutes ago, as I was sitting in the library reading my newspaper, my remorse came over me like a breathtaking wave. I came to your bedside like a criminal. What was I thinking, son? I was angry this morning.

While I was getting dressed for school, I scolded you because you just wiped your face with a wet towel. When I saw that your shoes were dirty, I made you clean them. I shouted at you angrily when you threw some of your belongings on the floor.

While eating breakfast, I found many flaws. You were scattering food around you, swallowing your bites without chewing, putting too much butter on your bread. You were going to play, and I had to catch my train. You looked at me, waved your hand and said, “Goodbye, daddy.” I frowned and said, “Stay upright!” I told you. The situation was no different in the evening. On my way home, I found you squatting on the floor playing marbles with your friends. Your socks were torn.

I humiliated you in front of your friends and took you by the arm and took you home. These socks were very expensive and you had to be careful if you wanted to wear them. Think about it, son, your father was telling you these!

Do you remember? Then you entered my study. There was a hurt expression in your eyes. When I looked at you over my papers, you tried to leave for a moment. “What do you want?” I shouted to you.

Without saying anything, you ran and hugged me and kissed me. And with great love. Then you ran out. My paper fell out of my hand. What was happening to me? I was always finding your mistakes. That’s how I rewarded you. It’s not because I don’t love you; Because I expect so much from you. Because I evaluate you according to the value judgments of my own age.

However, you have many beautiful qualities. Your heart is so great! The way you come and kiss me tonight proves it. Nothing else matters tonight, son. I kneel next to his bed in the dark and feel so ashamed. Even if I told you these while you were awake, I know you wouldn’t understand. But tomorrow I will be a real father. I will play with you. I will suffer when you suffer, I will laugh when you laugh. When bad things come to the tip of my tongue, I will bite my tongue.

I kept saying to myself, “He’s a child!” I will say.

I saw you as a great man. However, you are just a little kid. Just yesterday you were in your mother’s arms, leaning your head on her shoulder. Oh, I expected so much from you, son, I expected so much from you.

Let’s try to understand people instead of criticizing them. Let’s understand what they want to do. Sympathy, tolerance and kindness are much more useful than criticism. “Knowing is forgiving.” Dr. As Johnson said, “Even God does not judge a man until his last day.” So why should we judge?

Do not criticize, do not condemn and do not complain!