1 . In a class many years ago, the teacher gave us the “unpardonable”—the class homework! The _______ was to go to someone you love and tell them you love them. _______ it doesn’t sound like a very tough assignment, I realized that I was _______ the generation of men who were taught that expressing emotions is not “macho” (男子气概的).

You see, five years ago, my father and I had a _______ disagreement and we _______ seeing each other unless it was Christmas or other family _______. But by the time I got home I had convinced myself I was going to tell my father I loved him. It’s weird, but just making that decision seemed to lift a heavy load _______ my chest. So I rushed home to tell my wife my plan. When I told her, she hugged me, and for the first time in our married life she saw me cry.

The next morning, I went to the office early and _________ more in two hours than I had the whole day before. At 9:00 I called my dad, “Dad, can I _________ tonight?” My dad responded with a(n) __________ tone, “Now what?” At 5:30, I was at my parents’ house ringing the doorbell, __________ that Dad would answer the door. I was ________ if Mom answered that I would chicken out and tell her instead.

But luckily, Dad did answer the door. I took a deep breath to __________ myself and said, “Dad, I just came over to tell you that I love you.” It was as if a transformation came over my dad. His face ________, the wrinkles seemed to disappear and he began to cry. He hugged me tightly and said, “I love you, too, son.”

Two days after that visit, my dad, who had heart problems, but didn’t tell me, had a heart attack and ________ in the hospital, unconscious. I don’t know if he’ll make it. So my message to all of you is this: Don’t wait to go to someone you love and tell them you love them and do it now!