By Geetanjali Sharma
Fathers are very underrated in a world of empowerment and love. They may be the backbone of every happy family, yet their credit run low when it comes to the recognition of their strength.
In one of my previous write-ups, I wrote about the love and abundance our mothers shower upon us and, this month, I would like to balance the scales.
Dad, Papa, Abba, Vater, Baba – be it in any language – the word will always echo with being strong, present, compassionate, helpful and even hilarious.
Most men are inexpressive when it comes to their feelings, and my father is no exception. I would like to take the liberty to confirm that he is ‘unreadable’. His power of quietly taking in the happenings around to secretly guarding his emotions and dealing with them at a very personal level is both empowering and heartbreaking.
From being uptight to being your best friend, dads possess the magic of taking care of you without any display of worry or stress.
Not all fathers belong at the workplace, some choose to stay back home and take care of their children, and that’s beautiful. Those dads need to be given an equal and promising space in a society holding discussions about human rights, gender disparity and empowerment.
Be it a social norm or a society’s way of perceiving emotions, we as children don’t share our feelings about our fathers as often as we do for our mothers – that’s a global reality.
Through this article, I’d like to express my gratitude to my father for being the driving force and the guiding light for me. He has shone like the Northern Star for us in ways I can’t describe. His will power has always pushed me to grow firmer and braver in my way through life. The passion which I see in his glistening green eyes for his work leaves me amazed. It continuously inspires me to find my true calling. As his genetic copy, I try to learn from his life lessons, grow by his wisdom and remember to take him along on this journey of wondrous life choices.
But that’s not all. After getting married, as I learnt about the struggles and challenges my father-in-law had faced at work and home, it surprised me. His forgiving nature, fine sense of humour, love for family and honest heart, often leave me feeling proud and grateful in more ways than one. With no time to waste, his days are filled with activities around arts and sports. It’s so refreshing to see him surrounded by his creativity, social commitments and all that truly makes him happy. He inspires me every day to focus on all that is fulfilling for my heart. His love for life is energising and vacationing with him is real fun!
And now, the newest addition to this list, is my husband. Day in and day out, his world revolves around our child. Loving, supportive, present and patient, he has been able to ace it all. From being a loyalist to his principles to tweaking them only for his child, fatherhood makes it possible. It’s romantic to see him through this transition.
Longing to hug him after a long trip back home or finding an excuse to make him your partner in crime – the father is a perfect person for things where you may need that extra boost of confidence. Respect and love to all the fathers who have been the pillar for their families.
A reminder to all my readers – fathers can never become mothers but all that they do often goes unnoticed. They give us a lot of their selves and often have subtle, quiet ways of providing us empathy, affection and hope. They show us what love looks like even in silence. They tell us how to look after family especially when no one is watching. They are the silent heroes of all of our stories. But they never take an off for themselves, not even on a holiday. They stay busy, occupied with chores, work or matters which directly, indirectly concern their families. They get consumed by life for us.
Their retreat awaits and we have to take care of them. Let’s find ways and convince them to take some time off. Their minds need a change. They require to take care of their mental health. It’s all that really matters at the end and we must surprise them with something comforting, simple and relaxing.
(Geetanjali Sharma is an author and communications specialist. She holds a post-graduate degree in international communication from Macquarie University, Australia.)
