Hands-on

In relation to the death anniversary of my father this May 27 (Memorial Day) and wonderful celebration of the Father’s Day,  I would like to pay tribute to him for being a great father.  I was born without a father figure in our family.  My parents got separated when my mother was in 3 month-pregnant on me.  My father had second family but still he did not forget to visit us about once or twice a year.  I did not know him before.  I thought he was just only a family guest visiting us.  When my father visited us, my older sister next to me excitedly and happily went to him and kiss his hand as a sign of respect.  If he arrived and I am playing, I just continued playing and say to my sister, “Your father arrives.”   I did not know that my father had talked to my sister asking help for introducing him to me as my father.  One day, after my father enrolled me in high school as freshman, he took me to a restaurant. We ate together.  That was the moment when he got the chance to introduce himself to me.  He said, “Do you know me?’ I could not answer quickly.  I am just looking at him.  Then, he continued, “I am your father.”  I could not imagine his feelings and emotions that time but he had the courage to say it to me.   I could not describe how I feel that time at the age of 12.  I felt I had already a complete family even I know only just a couple of hours because he should go back to his work and second family which is too far from us.  He accompanied me to buy school things that I need  and buy fresh foods in the wet market.  We went back home together and have a good lunch with my mother and other family members.  Before he departed and said goodbye, it was the first time that I kissed his hand as a sign of respect to my father.

I was a high school junior when I got sick badly.  I had been seen by the medical doctor, people using natural medicines but my health condition was getting worse.  I having a high fever then chilly temperature.  I got diarrhea and throwing up.  I got lose weighs in just few days.  I was absent for more than a week already in school. I remembered that week was our school exams of all subjects.  My mother was so bothered and worried about me.  She could not work, eat and sleep well.  My father who was living and working too far can cure or heal somebody who is sick.   His background career was in military but he had a special ability to cure some illnesses.  I knew and witnessed it personally.  So I requested to my mother to telegraph my father immediately.  Early morning the following day, my father rushed into our house and cured me with his prayers and certain medicinal herb extracts.  He really rescued my life.  I thought I would die that early age.

When I got a chance to live with my father when I started to go into college, he treated me fairly with his second family.  We never had any conflicts while living with them in spite of my father’s condition that was one-blind eye due to the call of duty as a great policeman and one-amputated leg due to diabetes.  He was no longer working in the hospital that time as a security guard but he was still earning a living for us and well-known in their community as an herbal doctor.

He was a loving father who is ready to provide the family needs.  I never saw my father having arguments or conflicts with my mother.  They settled down certain conflicts nicely and appropriately. My father was also a great singer and dancer during his times.  Because of his talents, he was frequently invited by some local politicians in fiestas and other special occasions such as weddings just to entertain the guests through his traditional songs and dances.

Although we had bonded together for a very short time but the quality time that he gave for his families that matters most to me.  I understand him. I felt his love and presence as a father to all of us regardless of distance, family status and life challenges.

We really miss you, Tatay. We love you so much.  Happy Father’s Day to all.

Tags: care, child, children, daughter, doctor, family, family member, father, father's gift, fatherhood, great father, happy father's day, herbs, heroic father, love, loving father, mother, parenthood, son