I am not going to tell you how good my father is. I will not sing praises for him as well. Many of us remember our father as the best man in the world. And today as we celebrate Fathers Day, I will talk about my Father when I was young and innocent. I will remember the years when I was supposed to enjoy the wonders of childhood. I will look back to the pain of my innocence. I will tell how imperfect my father was..
When I was young, I've always seen my father under the influence of alcohol. When I say always, I mean almost every single day. And every time he was intoxicated, our home was in chaos. I would hear my father cursing us all – cursing my mother who was tired working the whole day. And later on, I could hear glasses breaking, doors banging and nasty words coming out from my father’s mouth. It was a painful experience to see your parents fighting and cursing. And, growing in this so called “shelter” was never easy. I would always envy my classmates whose parents were not fighting. There was a time I didn’t want to go home because I was afraid to see my father but I didn’t have any choice.
But without alcohol, our life was normal. I remember when I was in Grade 1, my father used to drive me to school with his old bicycle. I would always complain not letting me to just ride on a motor bike and would just pay P5.00. He would always say , “Bukas na lang”. I remember one time he would sit in my class. It embarrassed me because back then, it was annoying to have your parents watch you in class. It was only my father who did that after all.
As I grew older I realized how difficult my father's job was . Despite his flaws, he worked doubly hard as a security officer of the same school I attended back in high school. He tried so hard to serve us good meal on a dinner table. As a security officer, he had shift rotation so sometimes he worked during night.So, with his pillow, mosquito net, mat, flashlight and a transistor radio, he was inclined to go to his "duty", regardless of the weather .Sleeping along dark corridors between old school buildings during his night shift was never easy but I never heard my father complained how inconvenient it was .Most of the time, I complain about my compensation while my father , though he was just receiving a quarter of my earnings, never said a single disappointment about his wage.
Suddenly today, I can now recognize how my father was able to fulfill his lapses.
Suddenly today, I can now recognize how my father was able to fulfill his lapses.
I know my father doesn’t have any idea on how to use the internet so it is impossible for him to read this but today, as we celebrate Fathers Day… I have only one thing to say to my father……….
Tay, alam ko ngaun kung bakit kayo naglalasing nung bata kami. Naiintindihan ko na sobra na kayong napapagod sa hirap ng buhay natin nun but you just didn’t had the courage to tell us because you knew that it was your responsibility. Di mo kami mapasama sa mga field trips dhil wala kang pera pero ok lang po. Natatandaan ko nung tumawag c Asel sa inyo after he passed the board, “Tay , Nurse na ako!.. Di kayo nagsalita for a while, you just said in a rattling voice, “Nurse ka na anak? I know that you were so happy to hear that ksi alam ko na matagal nyo na ring gustong may ipagmalaki.Tingnan nyo Tay, di kau nagkulang. Kailanman di kau naging kulang. Uulit ulitin ko po na sasabihin sa inyo katulad ng paulit ulit nyong pagsasabi pag nalalasing kayo na mahal na mahal namin kayo. When you sat in my class in Grade 1, I finally realized that you just wanted us to study harder. And in the end, these small things that you’ve done – these little imperfections made everything so perfect. Di nyo man nabigay lahat but you will leave us the richest inheritance.
Happy Father’s Day
Happy Father’s Day
