Father’s Day 2011

Father’s Day 2011

Cherish every moment he spent with us

As usual at this time of the year it is time for us to spend some time to reflect on the role of our fathers in our lives. Many of us are fortunate to have our fathers still with us but there are those who aren’t that lucky to still have them. Whether our fathers are here with us or not does not matter as it is time to pay tribute to them for all they have done for us.

Father’s day may be meaningless to some; it may even be a painful one for others. To some it may be an unpleasant reminder of the tyrannous attitude of their fathers who was the cause of turmoil in the family. The following was a response I got from a man who is very bitter that he did not have a normal father like most of us.

“I feel jealous of those who have a father to shield them during their years of growth. I was born to a blind father and an illiterate mother. I had to grow up without parental care, financial support and guidance. Imagine the trauma of being called a blind man's son. So what kind of Father's day are we talking about? I practically grew up on my own, grinding through and even finishing post graduate with my own sweat and blood. Now that they are old, I have to support them. So those of you who had parental support, please appreciate them. I did not ask to be born...”

While we sympathize with this man, he should be praised for his tireless efforts to become a successful person in his life. His father may not be able to see but I am sure he has many exceptional talents and great values that a normal person may lack. It could have been his ‘handicapped’ parents who could have been the source of his motivation that lead him to attain the successes in his life. His blind father should remind him that he should not to be blind to the needs of his own children and also not be blind to the gross mistakes they make.

Dad’s someone to look up to no matter how tall you’ve grown

There are many such people with disabled fathers and their success stories could be an inspiration for others in similar situations. To those with tyrannical dads it should be a reminder of what a father should not be when it is their turn to assume that role one day. Everyone who passes our life, including fathers, should be examples either to ape or reject. As Mother Teresa rightly put it, “Never regret, having chosen or met the wrong people in life. No one else can teach the right lessons better, than the wrong people”.A handicapped father will have many virtues to offer us that a normal one may not.

However to the majority, Father’s day would be a day of joyous celebrations to thank their fathers for all that he has done for them. In the midst of all the celebrations, let us not forget to recall what our fathers meant us from the time we were young till what we are today.

To those like me, whose fathers may not be around, let’s treasure and cherish every moment he spent with us, appreciate every principle he stood for in life and value every sacrifice, however small it may be, he made to make us what we are today. He may be gone but his memories must continue live in us in everything we do and say.

It is strange that we tend to remember vividly the very small things that our fathers did for us rather than the many expensive gifts they gave us. That should a lesson for us too that it is the small things we do with great love that matters when our children grow up one day. They would appreciate these few little deeds more than the many expensive gifts we buy for them or the luxurious places we take them to.

Spending every minute you can

Those who are fortunate to still have your fathers with you, remember to spend every minute you can spare for him with love and respect. Your children are watching everything you are doing to him, good or bad. You need not tell them what to do as they will follow the way you live. Never say or do anything that you will regret later as that would be too late.

Happy Father's Day

"By the time a man realizes that maybe his father was right, he usually has a son who thinks he's wrong."

"My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it." -- Clarence Budington Kelland