Once upon a time,

there was a young man

who asked his father for his share of the family fortune.

He took his inheritance and left home,

determined to chase after freedom.

Caught in the dazzling glamour of the world,

he squandered everything he had

until he was left with nothing.

Hunger and exhaustion crushed his spirit,

and he found himself reduced

to fighting with livestock for scraps of food.

The once-proud light in his eyes had faded,

and travel-worn dust clung to his weary body.

Gazing toward his distant homeland,

he longed for the warmth he had left behind—

but shame weighed heavily on his heart.

In his darkest moment,

he remembered his father.

Perhaps, he thought, his father might allow him

to return as a servant.

With what little courage he had,

he set off for home.

All along the road,

he rehearsed the words of his apology:

“Father, I have wronged you and failed myself.

I am no longer worthy to be called your son.

I only ask to serve under your roof

as a humble servant.”

Yet while he was still far down the road,

his father recognized him.

At once, the father dropped everything, ran to him,

and wrapped him in a loving embrace.

There was no reproach for past mistakes,

only joy in his eyes as he said,

“You’re home!”

Then the father commanded his servants

to bring the finest robe

and drape it over his son’s shoulders.

Smooth and warm,

it covered every trace of hardship he had endured.

That splendid robe did more than restore his dignity;

it stood for the father’s unconditional love and acceptance.

Clothed in it, the lost wanderer was no more—

he became a beloved child once again.

From that day on,

the young man realized that no matter how far he roamed,

the love at home flowed like an ever-present spring,

always offering him a chance to begin anew.

And that splendid robe remained the symbol of love

and grace in his life,

reminding him that no matter how great one’s losses,

there is always a love

that can restore everything.