would like to present a tribute to all the fathers. U might find it weird why i put them first instead of mothers. Aint mothers the greatest? much more so than daddies? hmmm....simple. I put fathers 1st cos i think they have been overworked and underpaid! yea, a term used frequently to describe social workers' meagre pay. But dont u think that our fathers are like that? Aint they always UNDERSTATED and UNDER-UTILISED and UNDERMINED? In fact, they are all in the 'under' category whenever they are compared to mothers. Think of it. Who pays for ur studies/ expenses? Who do u go to if u need money? Who is the one who pays for the household bills each month? Who is the chaffeur of the family? Who is the one who die die also must have a job? Who is the one expected to take care and support the family? Who is the one still busy working while the whole family is in bed? Who is the 1st to leave home for work?
Who is the one who watches their wives get all the affection on Mothers' day and yet to withstand a quiet celebration on Fathers' Day?
How often do our fathers get to hear loving words from us? or even a thank you?
What have we done for our fathers that are worth mentioning?
Did our fathers ever complain about the things they have to do?
And even if they do, do they stop doing them?
So i would like to thank and applaude all the fathers in this world.
Yes, some may have fathers who are abusive, irresponsible, lazy, unfaithful, unloving or cold. U ask, how to love them? Yup, you're right. Sometimes, they are not even worth our love. But still, they are ur parents. I still firmly believe that there is NO parents who do not love their children.
u may say but i cant sense my dad loves me. Bear in mind that guys are not that capable of showing outward affection or express their feelings very well, but look at their actions. Since young, how i know my dad loves me is when he buys supper for me, gives me money when i did not ask for it, peel prawns for me and tells me about his philosophy in life. He does not say I love you. Instead his love is expressed in these gestures. okay, each father is uniques as to how he shows his affection. So if ur dad is not like that, just appreciate him for bringing butter home! that he is working...why? bcos he is working to support u! ok, if all else fails, it is thanks to him that u can be born! hmmm...that's the most basic..and kinda common sense. but if u really cant find any reason to thank ur dad for, then at least, this reason might be something to start with.
today as i was returing home in a cab with Joyce, i learnt something about fathers. U see, the taxi driver is new to the job, and so he keeps making the wrong turns. at first we were quite annoyed...but later as i talked to him, i found out that he had a day job with Quantas Airlines in addition to being a taxi driver. He said that he took up 2 jobs as his son is entering university soon. Wow. When i heard that i was like, this man is a good father man. But what struck me the most was another thing. He shared with me how he always get scolded by customers as he does not know the roads well, even after explaining that he is new. And the fact that he refuses to charge any fare for these trips. He is jeered by friends when he asked them where is ZOUK.
and i was like WOW. u mean he gets scolded and humiliated just bcos he wants to earn more money for his son's education? u mean he has to endure all that? A man leh...got ego and pride. and yet he has to stoop low to earn that bit of extra money? in addition, holding 2 jobs is no joke. Furthermore, he is not young anymore. He says he cant learn as fast. wow. Are u amazed at how much this father is willing to go thru for his son? i was.
But i did not hear any complains from him. He was very humble, willing to learn. He did not even get angry with us when we kinda questioned him about the wrong turns! He was instead grateful!
wow. i dunno how to express my feelings except this sense of exclamation.
and perhaps i could share with u my dad's experience. He used to be a enterprising businessman. Businness did well. Drove a mercedes, could afford at least one family vacation a year, had a company that was doing well and cliching huge projects,wore coats and pants to work and had dozens (literally!) of credit cards! Then a few years later, he was reduced to a life of a hawker, toiling for more than 10 hours a day, live on the money earned for the day, clad in t-shirts and pants, no car to drive, no day off, subjected to physical and manual work, and finally declared a bankrupt.
The incredible thing was not the height of his fall. The incredible thing is he never once gave up! I really praise God for that. bcos that could be a huge blow to anyone, much more once a successful businnessman. Thank God he took it in his stride. Now he is working in Shanghai, and though he had a more stable job, he still toiled till the wee hours of the night to ferry and entertain visitors to my uncle's company. Now, he helps out in my uncle's company in whatever job he's given and has learnt to do his own laundry. I can kinda imagine those who were skeptical of him ever making a mark in Shanghai. Many has told me if he cant make it big in Singapre, how can he expect to make it big in Shanghai? But i believe my father's greatest success is not having succeeded but in never ever giving up! for that, i truly give him the thumbs up! my dad once told me that it was not easy for him to adjust to his fall after having it good for so long. but he also said that he would never give up as long as he is still able to work. He wants me not to give up in what i do too.
My father has such a fighting spirit. I am so proud of him. His never-say-die attitude. I will never forget what he said before leaving, he told me that he believed, given a chance, he can make it work over there. and dad, yes i know u will! u are working for a better future.... u are also working for the family. My only daddy on earth and in this lifetime, my dearest daddy.
how about u? what's ur dad like?
Would u call ur father dearest daddy?
can u begin to comprehend how great a father's love can be?
Can you begin to realise how deep is ur dad's love for u?
Has it been OVERLY underrated?
