Start in life

(Het Begin van het Leven)

1. But people in the middle? They have enough. They are healthy. They sleep well at night. Even kings wish they were born in the middle class. The wise men of old said it too. They wanted just enough. That is what you have, my son.

2. My father kept talking. In the middle class you can have peace. You can have friends. You can enjoy simple pleasures. You work but not too hard. You have money but not too much. You do not need to fight for bread. You can live honestly and die peacefully.

3. Then his voice became harder. But if you go to sea? You will find only misery. I warn you now. If you leave, you will suffer. You will be alone. You will be hungry. You will face storms and sickness.

4. He started to cry when he talked about my brother who died. Your brother did not listen to me either. He wanted to be a soldier. He wanted glory. Now he is dead in a foreign country. Do you want to die far from home too? My father could not speak anymore.

5. I was moved by what he said. What son would not be? I decided to stay home. I would forget about the sea. I would make my father happy. But my decision did not last. After a few days I wanted to leave again.

6. I waited a few weeks. Then I talked to my mother. I thought she might be easier to convince than my father. Mother, I said, I am eighteen years old now. I cannot stop thinking about traveling. If I stay here I will be unhappy forever.

7. Please talk to Father, I continued. Ask him to let me go on just one voyage. If I do not like it I will come home. I promise. I will work twice as hard to make up for lost time. But my mother became very angry.

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