I was talking to my friend last night when suddenly we ended up talking about our parents, especially about our dads. As we shared stuff, I suddenly felt sad because my dad has been traveling out of this world for over 12 years already, and I missed him so bad.
So today's article, I'm going to dedicate this to my dad. I hope I won't cry though.
Long story ahead, so watch out or just go.
My dad was 11 years older than my mom. My mom was only 16 when they got married. Yes, they got married even if mom was still a minor because they had my grandparents' consent.
Fast forward, and they brought 5 of us in this planet world. My dad wasn't the perfect dad (well, there is no such thing as perfect anyway). He was a drinker and a smoker. Luckily, he was only a slight gambler, meaning he liked lotto once in a while and would occasionally bet for cockfights. Overall, he was a good husband, a good father, an excellent provider, a good son and son-in-law to my grandparents, a good leader, a good friend, and a good neighbor.
How did I know that he was a good friend, a good neighbor, a good leader, and other stuff?
Well, you know someone has done well when people praised about that person even if he/she has been dead for years.
As I've mentioned, my dad was a drinker, but the only downside about him was, he wanted us all to sleep when he had to sleep. Yes, that was quite annoying, especially if it was only 6 pm. Good thing mom would manage to convince him to sleep and let us continue our thing. That was the only downside about him when he got drunk.
My dad and I were very closed. Well, I'm the youngest and was a daddy's girl too. Our usual bonding moment was talking stuff like him sharing his past or us talking about the possibilities in the future. He liked singing, too, even if he was quite out of tune. LOL. And oh, he was quite a dancer as well. We also liked sitting outside at night while enjoying the beauty of the stars and moon. Not to mention, I was the one who used to pluck his white hair before.
Another thing about my dad was that he was fond of children. In fact, most of the kids in the neighborhood loved him. I guess because he was a giver. He liked to share what we have with the other kids. Every time there were kids at home to watch cartoons with us, my dad would always let them in and have them sit in the chair instead of sitting on the floor.
To our non-Filipino readers, in my country, especially back in the days, some households won't welcome other kids inside their house. Probably because more kids mean more mess and more noise. But my dad was different because he let them stay inside, sit on the chair (unless if we are too crowded, so some kids had to sit on the floor), and gave some snacks if we have any.
Actually, there was so much good stuff that I could write about him here but I won't discuss any further as I don't want to bore you with my long story. But the point is, he was really a good man, not just to us, his children, but to other people as well.
Dad taught me the value of saving money, and why education is so important. He showed me how to be kind to people, to animals, and to nature. He was kind, humble, and selfless.
When he died, a part of me died too. I lost the only man who ever loved me so dearly, and I really miss him so much. Sometimes, I would still see him in my dreams as if he was still alive. He looked so happy though.
So to all of you who's dad is still alive, always find time to show him how you truly love and appreciate him before it's too late.
**All photos are mine.
You may also want to read my other posts here:
you can post more content about your dad but the title it can be more attractive