daddy cool!

Happy Father's Day to all the cool, selfless dads out there!  (belated...aherm) 

i called my dad yesterday to tell him i love him and as usual there was a catch in his voice and a silly half-laugh that is his trademark.  before he said he loves me too, he told me first how much he misses me there.

my dad's the coolest :)  i've written a lot about him but i am going to repost my favorite here.  later, i will go to the beach and touch the sea, remembering how he first taught me how to swim when i was a young "warthog" :)

(bowl cuts were the rage back then *sigh*)

The Heart of My Father

18 June 2010

My dad turned 66 the day we arrived from far, far, away. It was a low-key affair and the usual suspects were in attendance. At last, the magic circle was once again complete. At last, he was surrounded by the most important people in his life. He was basking in our love. His smile lit up all of the 7,107 islands. 

But what makes my dad special isn’t his smile. It’s his heart. My father’s heart is anchored firmly in the heart of God.

Let me walk you through some of the reasons why my dad rules:

Leadership - We grew up with a “man in uniform”. His word was the law. (of course, this was before we all knew that “behind every successful man is a woman”) He made us see the importance of wise choices and good decisions. But this doesn’t exempt him from washing clothes (by hand!) and cooking for the family.

Compassion - It comes naturally for him to empathize with the aggrieved, the downtrodden, the broken-hearted. Many a time that he has given more than what was expected (especially at Christmas). Many a time that he has invited people we don’t even know to a family meal. 

Generosity - If you ask for a kilo of lanzones (local tropical fruit), he will bring home a crate! If there are bananas or mangoes ripe for the picking, everyone in the neighbourhood gets a bushel! He insisted we bring back a carton of mangoes but I explained the fines we would have to pay in immigration!

Discipline - He made us even prouder of him by quitting smoking recently because he said he still wants to live a little longer to enjoy life with my mom and us and his grandchildren. His willingness to learn at his age is commendable! When we were younger, he admonished us not to swear because nothing good ever comes out of it. It is one of his lessons I remember the most even until now. (although, over the years, my cursing has evolved and has become sophisticated and reserved only to those who truly deserve them)

Resourcefulness - My dad can make a dish out of nothing. He can build a bed out of wood scraps. He can fix a leaking nipa (thatch) roof as fast as an artisan. He can handle a group of carpenters until the wee hours of the morning. To us, he is the man to rely on.

Time - My dad is a master in the art of listening. However stupid or silly or trivial your concerns are, he is always there to listen. Once, I thought my world as a teenager has crumbled because of a stupid haircut and he patiently listened to my rantings all the way home and reassured me I still looked cute. My uncles run to him for a good old man-to-man talk over countless cups of coffee.

Friendship - Now that we are older and have left the nest, my father has found the gift of unconditional love from our beloved pets, Max, Boots and Porky. Everywhere he goes, they all follow (except Porky who’s a poor excuse of a guard dog, but he tries, really). He is very active in his senior citizens group and has become an officer in our neighbourhood association. His friends keep him busy but he also has his “me” time at home playing Solitaire.

Care - When I was in college and was rushed to the infirmary because of an asthma attack, he was there reassuring me everything was being taken cared of and that all I have to do is get well. When I accidentally “stabbed” him in the hollow above his eye and my mother tried to talk sense into me by threatening to send me to jail, my dad reassured me he wont let that happen and if I could just please apply more antiseptic to his wound. 

Fun and Laughter - We had a lot of good times with my dad when we were little. I remember he used to give me and my sister piggyback rides even when he was so tired from work. His most famous trick was for us to get the 1 peso coin hidden inside his closed fist. There were few victories for us that time. But boy, was it fun! We also watched movies together. I learned to love old movies from him. Going to the beach is something we looked forward to even until now that we have our own families (Joaquin loves the water). 

His love for my mom - My dad is not the most perfect father in the world. He has made many stupid mistakes and bad decisions in his life. But one thing no one can ever surpass is the love he has for my mother. He is cheesy when it comes to telling my mom he loves her (we cringed at one point) but he says it and then my mom transforms into a young lady again. They make a good team. 

Himself - Even greater than my dad’s gift of love and time and everything else combined is when he gave the gift of himself. He is a funny guy when you get to know him. In our family he is known as “The Joker”. He is quirky when it comes to his flip-flops. He wants it only in one brand and only in one color: Spartan, size 9, yellow. Although lately he has moved on to his trusty Crocs and a pair of Adidas running shoes for his morning walks.

My father is an ordinary man with extraordinary powers. I don’t think he could ever be a Renaissance man nor a fashionista or even an activist. But from his love and his life, we discovered our purpose, identity and true worth. Family is very important to him. He draws strength from that. He understands that in order for him to be a good father to us, he first needs to understand what kind of father God is to his children.

Pa, you know you are loved beyond measure. Happy Father’s Day Gar!