I don’t usually post mushy personal stuff. I like to keep them to myself. I will make today an exception, just because it’s Father’s Day. My friends, allow me to share with you today the three most important lessons I learned from my father.
Papa (or Padir, as we call him now) taught us a few lessons that some people would probably think, for lack of a better word, interesting. As a kid, I learned this first lesson – never start a fight. But if kids pick a fight with you, make sure you give them a good fight. For the record, back in my childhood days, I never started a fight. I’m usually the one being bullied most of the time since I’m the smallest in the class or among my playmates. But because I followed my Dad’s ‘advice’ in giving my bullies a good fight, soon these bullies were calling me ‘small but terrible’.
Next lesson is to never go home crying whenever you get into a (fist) fight. His reason was simple. If you get into a fight with other kids and you go home crying, as a father he will be tempted to take your side and scold the other kid which could of course lead to a fight between him and the other kid’s dad. So settle your fight among yourselves. He prefers you go home victorious though.
The movie Fast and Furious 6’s tagline, “You don’t turn your back on family even when they turn their backs on you” reminded me of Papa. His love for his family (his sisters and brothers) has kept him humble and respectful of them all this time even when they don’t treat him good. That’s one lesson I have to practice more, I admit. My love for him makes me furious whenever I see and learn these people are abusing his kindness. It makes me want to start a fight, but then that would break my record of not picking a fight with anyone, ever. I have kept that record for the longest time so I’ll try to keep it that way for him.
To the wind beneath our wings, Happy Father’s Day, Padir! Thank you for setting us an example in giving respect even to those who don’t deserve it. And you.
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