Learning values from My Hero. My Dad. #Happy Father’s Day#

Source:Google Images

Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad, and that's why I call you dad, because you are so special to me. You taught me the game and you taught me how to play it right.- Wade Boggs

                                                                           

My dad is my hero. The love and affection he showers on me is priceless. Hugging him or spending my time with him is always the best time. He started working at the very young age of 6, when my grandfather left him in one his acquaintance’s house to learn the art of making jewels. It is our family profession. After all, in yonder days, taking care of 13 kids for my grandparents was definitely not easy.  My dad could make it only till third standard -three years of schooling in a government school along with his brothers. Does he sound like an uneducated? To me, he is definitely not. He is a very learned man. Lessons came from real life experiences than the rants from textbooks. The former being better than the latter. Always.

He is an expert in jewel designing. His intricate design patters leaves even the best jewelery designers stunned and awestruck. They are so innovative and perfect. He is a very patient listener ( I somehow missed this trait from him:-P). He is my master who teaches values of life, in a way I best understand. He is such a kind being. I always fight with him for being nice to people who have troubled us in one or many ways. Shamelessly, pretending as if nothing happened, they come back to us   throwing sheepish and ugly smiles. They are so much welcome at home by him. When I ask my dad why he did not give back for what they have done to us, he just smiles saying- life is too short to waste time holding revenge on each other. What a noble thought!  ‘Forget and forgive’ is his philosophy.

“God is watching on us, Be Good and Do Good”; he always taught us. Since his family could not support financially for his studies, he made sure his kids got the best education. He was so keen not only about my academics but about extracurricular activities. Even as a kid, my days were so busy with my dance, music, karate and Yoga classes. He molded me like an all rounder. Be it art, sport or studies. The pride he carried about me whenever I won a trophy or emerged as a topper was priceless. God knows how he managed the expenses whenever I enrolled for every single contest and he had to pay my entry fee. I knew his hard work behind every penny he made. Almost every time, I emerged as a winner. That was my best way of do justice to the hard-earned money. Needless to say, exposure and knowledge I gained by participating in various events is enormous.

Since ours is a business family, education was not taken very seriously. Everyone in the family literally laughed when I got enrolled to my engineering college. A girl getting educated when it was time for her marriage was more than absurdity according to them. How much they tried to alter his thoughts through their fake concern. Nothing works with a determined man like my dad( LOL). He set the trend and I emerged as the first engineer in my family with flying colours. He was not satisfied with just a bachelor degree, he insisted me to do my MBA. Since I was not willing to burden him too much by resigning my job and opting for a full time course, I chose a part-time MBA along with my work. His happiness knew no bounds when I received my second degree.

More than I respect him, he values me. He gave me complete freedom in my life. He sits with my friends and like one among us, involves in our conversations. He did not question me when I was  the only girl with a group of boys who were my close circle of friends in college. He knew that his girl was matured enough to choose friends. Gender not a matter. Generation gap or cultural diversities never came in between when I wanted to get married to the guy I fell in love with. He respected my decision and welcomed him into my family and treats him like another son(God has been kind that way to me:)).

He bought so less for him while he made sure we got everything we needed as kids. He along with my mom stood like a wall, so protective that his kids were safe and taken care at every single step. When I sneakingly threw food I did not like, he explained me how every grain of rice was cultivated with a purpose to feed the hungry and effort involved to cultivate it. His own experience was quite a history for us to know. For lifetime. I learnt them silently and today I so much hate wasting food. I nearly worship what comes to my plate. Good or bad.

When I took tuition for school kids in my final year of engineering, my dad was so happy to see me responsible and he offered his assistance to mind the students till I got back from college. How much I rejoiced those days! One night, after a dinner we sat in our balcony watching the night sky (we did that almost daily) .That day we had performed pooja offering prayers to his dead parents, it was indeed a sad day for him .He shared his childhood memories and the feeling of missing his parents. I sat holding his hands comforting him. His eyes glew in happiness when he said “Rashmi, you are my favorite blessing and you are my second mother. My little girl has grown up now” he winked. He meant every word he had said. That is the best compliment I have received in my life ever.

With his broken English he dares to talk to anyone with confidence. He deals with customer relationship better than what I have learnt in books. He doesn’t yell when I add extra pounds or when he finds me in short dresses. I am his lucky charm, he says. He can discuss any topic upfront in a crowd in his language, bold in speech. His sense of humor can make one laugh their lungs out. He can go out of his way to help others, even a stranger. Gratitude is his way of life. To revenge, he doesn’t subscribe. Appreciating others for a tiny thing they do is from his heart. A genuine feminist. Age no bar for him, young and independent.

 I have learnt from him that-‘Being Human is better than Being Perfect’. ‘Money cannot buy everything; emotions are extremely sensitive, deal with them with high precision’- he often says.

 Aaah! the list can go on and on. Just like the endless love and emotions we share.

‘Giving back’ in life is so essential. I live this principle along with my Godly parents. I do my best to keep them happy and make them smile. Respect is something they deserve along with other elements like love and care. Not to forget that they are our priceless gifts from heaven.

To the Great Daddy’s out there, wishing you all a very ‘Happy Father’s Day’ in advance. So what are your plans for this day?

PS: Since I will be traveling this weekend hence I have written this post in advance. I feel any day is the best day to say ‘Thank you’ to my Dad and I did it today:)