In the doorway of my home , I looked closely at my 23­year­old son , Daniel.In a few hours he would be flying to France to 1 __ a different life.It was a transitional ( 过渡的 ) time in Daniel’s life.I wanted to 1 ## 2 ## __ him some words of significance.But nothing came from my lips , and this was not the 1 ## 3 ## __ time I had let such moments pass. When Daniel was five , I took him to the bus stop on his first day of kindergarten.He asked , “What is it going to be like , Dad ? Can I do it ? ” Then he walked 1 ## 4 ## __ the steps of the bus and disappeared inside.The bus drove away and I said nothing.A decade later , a similar 1 ## 5 ## __ played itself out. I drove him to college.As I started to leave , I tried to think of something to say to give him 1 ## 6 ## __ and confidence as he started this new stage of life.Again , words 1 ## 7 ## __ me. Now , as I stood before him , I thought of those 1 ## 8 ## __ opportunities.How many times have I let such moments 1 ## 9 ## __ ? I don’t find a quiet moment to tell him what he has 1 ##1 0 ## __ to me.Or what he might 1 ##1 1 ## __ to face in the years ahead.Maybe I thought it was not necessary to say anything. What does it matter in the course of a lifetime if a father never tells a son what he really thinks of him ? 1 ##1 2 ## __ as I stood before Daniel , I knew that it did matter.My father and I loved each other.Yet I always 1 ##1 3 ## __never hearing him put his 1 ##1 4 ## __into words.Now I could feel my palms sweat and my throat tighten.Why is it so 1 ##1 5 ## __ to tell a son something from the heart? My mouth turned dry , and I knew I would be able to get out only a few words clearly.“Daniel , ”I said , “if I could have picked , I would have picked you.” That’s all I could say.He hugged me.For a moment , the world 1 ##1 6 ## __ , and there were just Daniel and me.He was saying something , but tears misted my eyes , and I couldn’t understand what he was saying.All I was ##1 7 ## 1 __of was the stubble ( 短须 ) on his chin as his face pressed ##1 8 ## 1 __ mine.What I had said to Daniel was ##1 9 ## 1 __.It was nothing.And yet , it was ## 20 ## 1 __.