After reading “Old Ghost”, I felt very sorry for Jim. He realized how much he loves Ellen, when she died. He was only twenty-one then. He could not forgive himself for hurting Ellen and could not forget the love for Ellen, even at the brim of death. He died when he was seventy-six, which means he stayed single for fifty five years!
He learnt his lessons. But he was influenced by his father. This shows that during the growing years of a child, the adults around plays an important role. Jim was badly influenced by his father. His father only felt “half married”. His father taught him the ropes of cheating. His father cheated on his mother and taught Jim to cheat on Ellen. Jim abandoned Ellen for the woman that can give him what he wanted, what Ellen kept it till her death bed.
Jim only understands that Love does not equal to having sex when Ellen was died. I believed that Jim learnt a lesson, a hard one. But it was too hard. He did not get a chance to amend and make compensation to Ellen. He was guilt stricken for life. He stayed single for his life and regretted and reflected his acts for his whole life. He died with no one to attend to his funeral, perhaps no one even knows. This might be his retribution.
This story taught us a few things. First, the influence the adults can make in a child’s life during the growing years of a child. The adults around plays an important role of ensuring the proper growth of moral values of child. The child will learn from the adults around. Hence, the adults around a growing child must be able to set a good example.
Second, what love means. We must remember that love does not equal to having sex. Loving a person does not mean allowing the person to have actions like this with you.
Lastly, we must make the right decision. Decision making is essential in daily life. Some decisions made maybe right, some maybe wrong. But the decisions will certainly cause a change in a way or another. Some mistakes maybe small, some may cost your life. Hence, we must always think twice before we make any decisions, for it may affect your life forever.
