With Father’s Day coming up Sunday I wanted to talk about dads, in particular mine. No father is perfect, and my dad has always been the most imperfect of them all! But there is so much about him that I admire. Dads are underrated, and I wanted to take the time to show some appreciation to all the dads out there!
My dad was born in India and came to the United States when he was young. A lot of his roots are heavy Indian, but overall, he has adapted a good bit of western culture. When my mom and dad got married, he always told me that he found his perfect match. And even to this day, my father shows nothing less than the purest form of love.
I say all this because I love him. He is the first man that I will always love, and it is the purest form unconditional love. I thank my lucky stars everyday knowing that I was raised by such a selfless man. The way he cares for me and puts me first despite his needs. My dad is always my biggest supporter. He always tells me he is proud of me. He always holds my hand in a time of need. And even though he won’t admit it, he is so emotional, and it shows.
One of the biggest things my father has always taught me growing up is to always defend myself. He reminds me that he can’t always be there, and when he wasn’t it was my job to be there for me.
When I was born, regardless of comments that were made about being a first-born female child, my dad was obsessed with me. To be completely honest, he is still obsessed with me, he just won’t admit to me! There are so many pictures with me and my dad, and it is clear how attached I am to him and how much he dotes over his only daughter.
My favorite memory of my dad is playing this game with me. It was called “plane”. No matter how tired he was, how late he got from work, how he was feeling, my dad knew how much I loved to play “plane.” All he had to do was say “Plane” and I would put my arms up and he would fly me around the small house until he was too tired.
My dad would never tell me no. I never really asked for anything, but that didn’t matter. He knew what I wanted, and he always got me what I wanted plus more. Every month he would take me to Walmart and let me choose clothes for my Barbies. And all the Barbies I did have, he chose for me, in fact I have one that is still my favorite one that he bought me.
The way he found ways to make my childhood fun, and memorable always left me grateful. I am speechless at times that he managed to find ways for affordable fun, regardless of what went on in his life.
I remember there was a huge problem at his job where he was unfortunately let go. My father, despite that, planned a fun getaway for us so we didn’t have to stress out just because he was. He has always put the family first, and I cannot remember a time that he didn’t. My father has always talked highly of me. He has shown me what true love was, just on how he treated my mother alone.
He is the reason why I have high standards. He is the reason why I push myself to do better and constantly improve myself. He is the reason I am kind and understanding. My dad has made me the person I am today, and I am so proud to call him my dad. No matter who has anything to say, I have nothing but positives to say about him.
There are many reasons for why I am proud of my dad. But I think one of the biggest reasons is because he has grown so much as an adult and parent. Back in the day, his level of communication with my brother and I was stoic but spoke up when necessary. He wasn’t very affectionate towards us and in general, he portrayed himself as the strong manly figure. But over the years, he has learned how actions always are just as important! He gives me hugs at random times, because now he knows the importance of showing me affection, as this is what I would want from my own partner.
He tells me he is proud at “random” because he wants me to have a partner who is the same. My father has done nothing but improved himself for us, and I am so happy to say that he is my perfect dad.
I understand his flaws, but most importantly, I understand his strengths. I understand his past. I see how much he loves me and loves my mom and brother. I see how dedicated he is to keep us happy along with himself.
So, for Father’s Day I want to thank my dad for being who he is. Thank you for being strong when we couldn’t be. Thank you for being so selfless and kind when the world was mean. Thank you for always holding my hand when I was too scared to ask for help. Thank you for showing me how a man should love his woman. Thank you for showing me how a father should treat their children. Thank you for making my childhood positive and memorable. Thank you for being my dad.
Happy Father’s Day to all you fathers and father figures! Be proud of yourself and be proud of your children. You have raised a beautiful person, and you are continuously raising a beautiful person. Give yourself grace when you feel as though you are not doing enough. I promise you; you are an incredible person. Thank you for being there for your child. Thank you for showing up every day. Thank you for being a dad even when you didn’t want to be. You are enough.