A MAN'S SORROW CUTS DEEPER

A lion's pride...

Aziz knew that family meant everyting. At the end of the day what truly mattered was who you shared your life with. The honesty of the day presented itself in the light of the setting sun. And what Aziz came to realize, was that the days since Can returned may just have been the most fulfilling days of Aziz's life...

Aziz was taught to look at the details to see the big picture. He was always perceived as an educated man and a great businessman. But he considered himself more wise than educated. Education only took someone so far. Wisdom enabled someone to apply education to everyday life and know if it worked. And wisdom to Aziz meant realizing that family meant more than a pocketfull of cash or an empty bank account. Money was meant to be earned and spent, sometimes even lost. Family on the other hand, was meant to be treasured and kept safe...

His marriage to Hüma did not withstand the test of time. He tried his best, but marriage not based on love had little chance of survival. He had deep affection for Hüma, but whatever of the affection he felt for her dissipated with each passing day because of Hüma's suffocating jelousy. And the fact that Hüma could never have measured up to the kindness and love Mihriban made him feel when they were still together made Aziz realize just how much love and sense of belonging meant.

That is why Aziz made it his life's goal to always make sure to do his best when it came to Can and Emre. To watch them grow up to become the men they became filled his heart with a lion's pride. Both of them went through a period of time they were not proud of. Both endured pain and mistakes. Mistakes that somehow were influencial to them becoming who they were now. Emre trusted the wrong woman, but realized that through the love of the right woman he could find solitude and peace in his soul. Can, on the other hand, failed to trust the right woman in their love, lost himself in the process, but was beginning to understand that he needed to fight for love, fight for the woman he loved, and fight for their future.

Sitting with his sons, watching them speak so freely about their problems, and working together to resolve them brought Aziz so much happiness. His sons were good men. And that was all that mattered. He told Emre that no matter what happened they had each other. Emre did not have to fight his battles alone. Can did not have to fight all their battles by himself with his sword of sole responsibility for everything. No matter what happened, they should always remember they could turn to each other for support. No matter what life brought their way, if they stood united, shoulder to shoulder, they would be able to withstand everything.

The three of them made it seem that a family could really have each others' back. It felt so good to Aziz to be able to just sit with his sons and talk of life. The past months were tough not only on Can and Emre. They were tough on him as well. Away from his sons and fighting for his health. But as life had a way of working out, he smiled to himself and thanked his lucky stars to have all that he needed finally back in his life...