Fourfathers

When I was a child, he was my first pillar. The only man in my life. He was my tree top, my human seesaw, and my piggy back ride among other things. Today I see a man who has weathered the years, a man who has turned his backyard into his retirement playground; where he could pound every flat surface with his handy hammer while saying expletives on the side hahaha... Papa, let me begin by saying thank you for your quiet love, your generosity, your big heart, and for always being our steady front when everyone else is panicking! Thank you Papa! For me you are the best, I won't have you any other way!

To my husband...the father of my children. We love you! Thank you for your sacrifices, for the love that you unselfishly show our kids, for the gift of laughter. Thank you for always pushing our children to do their best, for being a prayerful father, and for being a good example to them. To our children you are their hero! To them you are their pillar of strength. Thank you for being very demonstrative of your love and supportive of their dreams and aspirations. And to the father of my husband, the man I never got the chance to get to know. Let me tell you how great you've raised your first born! He is the most selfless, loving, caring, responsible, and prayerful man that he is. My children (your apos) are so lucky to have your son as their father!

To my brother in law Bernard, thank you for taking care of my sister. For loving her despite her expensive bags hahaha just kidding! For simply being the kind of husband you are to her and father to my nephews and niece. For having a good heart... a heart big enough to love our family! 

To Glenn, thank you for being the source of my youngest sister's happiness! It may have taken a while before your paths were allowed to cross but it was worth all the years she had to wait before you came and swept her off her feet! Thank you for being a very good father figure to my niece Hope. You are  everything she has hoped for in a father!  Thank you too for having a heart big enough to allow them both in your life!

Happy Father's Day! We honor the four men in our lives, as we honor the Lord God, the father of all men!

A rose from my Papa

Last Thursday, at the height of my fever, a poem my Papa composed for me when I was in highschool, (or rather for my school project ;P) kept circling my mind. It was a short poem which I tried to recall. I think it was an assignment that I'm supposed to submit after that particular weekend but I was stucked. I found myself unable to compose anything. My father was reading the newspaper in our living room when I asked for his help.  He was silent for a bit and was able to come up with this ~

The Rose

Early morning as I arose,

I thought I saw a lovely rose.

I tried to hold and kiss it most,

but found it none when I awoke.

When I became a bit conscious,

 only a dream and a lovely thought...

My father, an Engineer by profession, is surprisingly very eloquent and proficient in writing. I think it is one of his God-given talents. He's also excellent in Math (a trait, which unfortunately, I wasn't able to acquire hahaha).  In fact, I've read a couple of love letters he wrote to my mom. And I could just imagine how this has become so effective in capturing my mother's heart Yiheee!!!!  

It's a good thing I was able to remember. I know... I know....!!! It's such a short literary piece for me to forget, but it's been years since I've thought about this poem. I had to search from my "left temporal lobe" (to be more specific) long and hard to get it right. It sounds right though. It's a shame that I was not able to keep a hard copy. This is how I think of my dad. I don't have too much memory of us having a father-daughter "colloquy", except when he was angry at me for something or when he wanted me to hand him a tool he needs. "Paabot ng martilyo (hand me the hammer)", "hawakan mo ang antenna at bababa lang ako (hold the antenna, I've to go down and get something" (we were both on the roof), and "Magpaalam ka sa mama mo (ask permission from your mama)" are a few of our regular one on one conversations. Pathetic? Nope. I don't think so. I guess I understand why my father chooses to reserve his thoughts. And anyway, just to be optimistic ~ I can always claim my badge of honor as being the daughter who was there for him as his assistant for home repairs. I am the daughter, who can climb up the roof to help with the antenna among other things. There was one time when he put his thoughts about "falling in love" into writing but I will share that bit with you on another day. :)

So, you see how important it is for me to remember this poem that my Papa taught me?  While learning to ride the bicycle and driving a car are equally important lessons I learned from my father. This poem, defines his love for me. Why? He could have shooed me away and tell me to ask my mom but instead he took  time to think of a poem. Precious little time matters for a daughter who will always crave for her father's love and attention. And he gave that to me on that particular moment. Thank you Papa! I may not be your perfect daughter but hey we shared your hammer, I mean that's a good thing right? We climbed the roof together for heaven's sake! And best of all we share the same legs!  I love you, Papa!