Reflective Post: The Road (2)

The father and son finally make it to the coast, and there is nothing there. My mind new this would happen, but my heart hoped for some secret society down in the south or that the south would be functioning wonderfully and the father and son would have a happily ever after. I guess I have watched one too many Disney movies. Not every book has a happily ever after, because not every real story does. Anyways, once they reach the coast and the boy swims in the ocean (a moment that any Floridian or anyone who has ever been to the beach with a child can relate to) and he cried. I think he was crying in excitement and disappointment. I wouldn’t want to swim in those conditions, but after all he has gone through it was probably exciting. When they returned to their campsite to see everything gone, my heart sank. I was so incredibly angry. How dare someone steal from them! Do they not know what this father/son duo has gone through? Only later when the son pointed out that the thief was just hungry, did I realize that he did know what they had gone through because he was going through it himself. He just didn’t have anyone to keep him on the straight and narrow path. After that I was a little upset with how the father left the thief but I understand. When the father died, I cried. I cried for the little boy. I can not imagine loosing both of my parents and being so young as well as living in such an evil and vile world. His father told him he had to keep carrying the fire and that it was inside of him. I think that is something everyone who reads this book can learn from. It may be incredibly hard and painful things will happen, but the fire (as Christians) is inside of us and we must continue carrying it even when we don’t feel that its there. It is there and others can see it, just as the father saw it in his son.