Salt....Love...

There was once a rich man, named Henry who has three daughters. He loves them very much and tries his very best to be a good father to them. He provided them with the best education he could effort, a comfortable place to stay, delicious food to eat, nice clothes to wear, and everything his daughters wished for, he will try to get it for them. As the girls grow up they learn to love their father and develop their own personalities and character that are different from each other. The first and second daughter Alice and Emily are nice girls with beautiful long straight hair. Both the girls are closer to each other since they are twins. Alice and Emily love collecting sea shells, so they spent most of their time taking long walks at the beach looking for sea shells. Cathy the third daughter on the other hand is an active girl who loves cooking and baking. Besides studying, she would spent her time searching and learning new recipes. Most of her time is spend in the kitchen trying out new recipes. Henry was very happy that his daughters have grown up to be ladies who are beautiful, intelligent and well – manner.

On Henry’s forty – ninth birthday, his daughters planned to celebrate his birthday by giving him a small surprise birthday party. On that day, there where balloons hung up everywhere with Henry’s favour colour which is purple, they even hung up a banner that say “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR AWESOME FATHER”. Alice, Emily and Cathy have been planning for this party for nearly two months now. Alice and Emily had stayed up for a few nights doing some of the decorations for the party and have also been planning activities to be carried out during the party. While Cathy has been secretly inventing and trying out a new dish for her father for his birthday. The girls had worked hard for this party. They started decorating the house the moment their father leave for work, by the end of the day before their father return from work, the living and dining room has been transform from an ordinary room into a room that is fit for a king. The clock struck five, “Cathy! Is the food ready? Daddy will be back soon,” asked Emily. Alice went around the house the last time making sure that everything is set in order. They then sat down waiting for their father. While they were waiting for their father, the rain started to fall heavily from the sky.

“Oh, I hate rainy days! Why does it need to rain on my birthday?” Henry thought. It was raining cats and dogs outside of the car, “Could you please drive a bit faster, my girls are waiting for me. They told me they have a surprise waiting,” Henry told his driver. “I will try my best,” reply the driver. The driver overtook a few cars now and then and he nearly bump into a car but manages to hit the break just in time. “We are here sir,” the driver informs Henry as he pull up at the car porch. Henry quickly took off his coat, “Girls I’m back!” but there was no reply. Slowly he enters into the living room and saw that it was decorated beautifully. Quietly, Alice, Emily and Cathy creep up to their father, “Surprise! Happy Birthday Daddy!” the three of them shouted and each of them gave Henry a hug and a kiss. “Oh girls, this is so nice of you all, the decorations are so pretty,” said Henry. “Daddy, wait till you taste the cake that I bake specially for you,” said Cathy

Henry and his three daughters proceed to the dining room, “thank you so much for this party,” says Henry. “Daddy, just relax and enjoy your meal, it must be tiring at work today,” said Alice. “Yup, we have plan many activities for tonight dad” said Emily. After they have all finish their meal, the maid came and clear the table. Soon they were in the living room. “Ok! The next event is down memory lane!” announced Emily. Cathy switched on the television while Alice brought in some desserts. “What movie are we watching?” asked Henry. “Oh, you will see,” reply Emily. Cathy hit the play button, and tears fill Henry’s eyes the movie on the television was his wedding day, he remember how he meet the girls’ mother and how she die while giving birth to Cathy, then the video proceed to a few concert that they girls have been in while they were in junior high school. The television soon show the memories Henry had with the girls during picnics, Christmas time and holidays in other countries. The movie soon ended with the a message that says “ THANK YOU DAD FOR ALWAYS BEING THERE FOR US DURING HARD TIMES, SAD TIMES AND HAPPY TIMES, WE ARE WHO WE ARE TODAY BECAUSE OF YOU!” There was a moment of silence as everyone remembers the past.

“Now, the highlight of the event, presents time” shouted Cathy. Each of the girls took out a gift that is warp beautifully. Alice being the oldest of the three sisters gave her gift to her father and said “Daddy you are the apple of my eyes”, Henry opened the gift and inside was a beautiful angle made out of sea shells that Alice picked at the beach. Emily then step forward and gave her present to her father and she said “Dad you are the rhythm of my heart beat.” Henry then gave her a big hug and opens up her present, inside was a red crystal in a heart shape with a picture of Emily and Henry in the middle. At last it was Cathy turn; Cathy gave her gift to her father and asked him to open the gift. Henry open the gift and inside there was small salt shaker with some salt in it. Henry looks up at Cathy, and with a big smile Cathy said “Daddy, I love you like the salt in my food”. But instate of receiving a hug from her dad. Henry face was furious, “How could you give a gift like that, don’t you know that salt is salty and it is from the sea! Are you saying that you could find someone who loves you anywhere just likes the salt that could be found in the saltiness of the sea?” said Henry. “But dad, that is not what I mean” reply Cathy. “Then are you saying that I’m have loved you too much till you feel that you do not have any freedom just like the salt that is too salty?” said Henry. “Go, get out of this house, if this is how you think of the love that I have show to you, then I do not want to see you again, go! Get out!” shouted Henry. With a heavy heart Cathy opens the door and leaves the house.

Outside the wind was blowing strongly, Cathy walk aimlessly along the road, wondering what will she do with her life now that she is been kick out of house. She then walk to one of her friend’s house and spend the night there. The next morning, she went to look for a job in few restaurants, after spending a few days looking for a job, she manage to get a job as a assistant chef in a Chinese restaurant. She put her effort and worked hard in her job, and she was notice by the boss of the restaurant who promoted her to be one of the chefs in his restaurant. By her effort and hard work, Cathy manages to safe enough money to open a small restaurant with some of her friends.

One day, as she was taking order from one of the customer, she notice that there was an elderly man sitting in one corner of her restaurant. After looking closely, she realise that it was her father. She then had a plan. She went into the kitchen and asks the chef in charge to prepare her father food without salt. The food was then served to Henry, after taking a few bite of the food, he soon asked for the boss of the restaurant. Cathy went and meets him; Henry was shocked to see his youngest daughter. Cathy then asks him if there was any problem with the food, and Henry said that the food was tasteless. Cathy then explains that she had asked the chef not to put salt in his food. She then explains the meaning of the statement she said five years ago during Henry birthday. After hearing Cathy explanation, Henry asked for Cathy forgiveness and invited her back to stay with him and her sisters. This is what Cathy said “The salt represents your love dad and the food presents my life, my life would be meaningless and useless without your love just like the food which is tasteless without salt.”

My friends our life will be boring, useless and meaningless unless there is love involved. Without love everything we do and work for seem pointless.

So I encourage everyone to not just to receive love from people around them but also to give and share the love with everyone around them.

Love. Cheers!

Anna