Daddy's Birthday

having a walk at the beach

Today is my Dad's birthday and I realise the many years that he spent his special day without me. I am always not around to celebrate the day of his birth especially when I moved out of the family home many years back.

as a loving father

The last three years was quite special for me because one, I finally made it on his birthday exactly three yeras ago to his delight, two, I have spent Christmas and New Year celebrations with them and stayed a couple of weeks more for my Mom's birthday and three, I have plans of staying withthem for a considerrable amount of time in the next few weeks. I have missed lots of his birthday celebrations but he understood and he did not love me less. He never stopped being concerned about my life and he never ceased praying for me too. Of course he did this to all of us-his children.

with his fountain of joy

When the grandchildren came, I haven't seen him happier. He had waited for the first grandchild to come quite a number of years since my eldest brother got married. When the couple almost lost hope to have a baby- he kept on encouraging them and praying for them, until the first grandchild in the clan was born. He has then become a tremendous source of joy. And when another grandchild came, his joy was doubled and when the third came, oh what a joy tripled. His grandchildren has been his triple delight from then on but does not that mean that he became disinterested in his children's lives-our lives.

as a reluctant subject for my photography, he has always been the photographer

I have seen in him and my mom how the word "selfless" meant- because just like any other parent, they tried their very best to give to us what they can give- and they wanted to give us the best too. I have seen him work very hard, toiling for long hours over the years to be able to grant our wishes and make us not only happy but probably the happiest.

as a doting grandfather...

While Mom nurtured us and tried her best to instill us discipline, hard work and being obedient and God-fearing children the foremost, Dad on the other hand did a lot of pampering probably making a part of us "spoiled rotten" ones, he encouraged us to speak our minds as well. Mom did not spare us the "rod" and punishment while growing up but Dad taught us that there is no harm in using reason and diplomacy in dealing with conflicts.

someone who takes care and to lean on...

As kids, we just have to tell him what we wish for, or want to have and he would try his mighty best to give it/them to us as soon as possible. Alternately, he would teach us to be patient enough and learn to wait. Mom did the balancing- by telling us that we cannot have everything we want anytime we wish we have them. But then again, Dad always provides us the inspiration and the hope to go for our dreams by giving his all-out support. Sometime in his life he has ventured in politics because a lot has believed he can help more people as he has advanced in his age doing his own part in community service, but he is probably not just into it. He enjoyed teaching but now he thinks he is quite old for it and is now focused in community service. Now the thing he enjoyed the most is pampering his grandchildren and he is again looking forward when my brother would bring a couple of them for a summer vacation at their lolo(grandfather) and lola's(grandmother's) farm house. The quiet house will surely be filled with lots of banter and laughter again.

Happy Birthday Daddy! May God grant more years in your life as you keep on relishing life as a grandfather. May you stay healthy and up to be able to keep up with your grandchildren's energy. I am sure they will not get bored listening to your numerous stories because I and probably my siblings have always looked forward for the storytelling sessions that we once had and I would not mind having them again when I come home for a long stay soon.