To the greatest man I know, my Dad
In a blink of an eye, I will be into my 30th this year. I want to dedicate my this article to one of the most influential figures in my life, my father.
Have you ever stopped to take a look at how your parents have aged with time? Facebook is good for many things, and one of those, is a recent photo my Dad posted of when he was young. Yes, he’s cool enough to use both Facebook and Instagram! Too much love for the popular cats (like nala cat and pancake).
And it struck me, oh, how my dad really did look pretty suave back in the day. I sometimes blame him for me not being able to grow to the median Singaporean male height. I’ve never told him this, but I am proud to be a close copy of how cute my dad was in the past.
There are more stories to tell of him, here I will be sharing a few of these for his upcoming 60th birthday that I really love about my dad, and these stories reflect qualities I hold dear and have inspired me till this day. They are; a show of dedication through action, empathy and care, and having a kind and big heart.
A show of dedication through action
My Dad has over the years, shown his love for the family through action. It’s easy as it gets to say one thing, and do another at times when one can be struggling with work and constantly having to prioritizing things, he always held us in first priority.
As I live near Rosyth Primary School, I get the delight of being stuck in jams right outside my house when parents drop off their kids. I’m constantly reminded of how my dad used to be one of them, enduring the sun and rain to spend time to send my sis and I to school.
To top this off, I took this to a new level when I stubbornly chose a Junior College far away from home, and even then, he still supported my decision and took time off that he could have spent getting better rest at home and drove me to school frequently. Not only that, I think he is one heck of a dedicated cookie, driving my mum up and down weekly to visit my grandma and taking my Mum’s side and engaging in micro family feuds almost every other every week.
It’s a cumulative effort of the work he has done and the countless small errands he runs for the family, and this showing of his unwavering dedication through action that has gone a long way and not gone unnoticed, which I am truly grateful for.
Empathy and care
My Dad loves to listen to me talk. Even though I know, he has many things to share with me too. I can still remember fondly the nights he came into my room when I was much younger to spend some time with me before I sleep. Checking to make sure that the windows are properly closed and I am well covered in blanket. There are times when he falls asleep next to me as well, perhaps while watching me sleep, but his snores (which are way too loud) always give him away. It was pretty annoying in the past when I was younger, but I chuckle to these memories now.
Dinner times are always a good check point for him to find out about what’s going on, over a bottle of Tiger beer. My dad (and my mum) are never ones to shy away from giving advice when they have one for us. Even as my sis and I have become older into our working years, both my parents still find good timings to give us advice, or afterthoughts to share when we update them. I must say I’m guilty for not spending enough time talking to them.
Having a kind and big heart
My Dad is really generous and kind. I remember once he actually lifted a snail off the pavement so that no one would step on it. If it were me, I would have merely avoided not stepping on it and hope the best for the snail. Would you do something like that?
Over the years, I’ve seen how my dad gives money every week at the church charity baskets. I know for sure he is one who never second guesses his friends and helps them whenever he can without expecting any form of return. I know of some of those examples, but I won’t go into detail here. I know my own flaws and have the tendency to be more calculative at times. He has shown me that it pays to be generous within his capacity and not sweat the small stuff. Happiness can only be multiplied when it is shared!
Lastly…Happy 60th Birthday Dad!!!
Even though I can’t spend it with you this year, I hope to spend some quality time with you and mum when I am back this Summer.
Thank you for everything you’ve done for me so far, and the credit really goes to you and mum for the large part of who I am today and how much I’ve achieved. Thank you for your unwavering pillar of support, both emotionally and financially toward my goals and for always keeping me in your radar all these years.
Love,
Jensen
p.s. To those of you still reading this, I hope I’ve managed to trigger a personal reflection on how your parents have contributed to you and how they’ve influenced and inspired you all this while! :)
