I grew up with a very disciplinarian and strict father. I remember a few years back that I was driven out of the house for a simple reason - I forgot to greet him on father's day. I even received punches from him on several occasions and when my friends would cry to me that their parents slapped them, I would just comfort them by saying
That's the slightest sort discipline I got.
And everyone would just laugh. BUT IT WAS NOT A JOKE. Sometimes my mother received the punches that supposed to hit me.
The last time he hit me was when I was 28 years old. It was my fault actually. Anyway, all the beatings were mostly at my fault. Haha! I was considered the blacksheep of the family. WAS. Because I chose my husband (boyfriend then) over my ex. That was years ago, now he loved his son-in-law. Haha!
With all the beatings I got from him, I HONESTLY wondering (yes until now) why I never have any bitterness, hatred or whatever negative feelings for him. I have only RESPECT, ADMIRATION AND LOVE for my father. I don't know. Maybe because my mother's love is already enough to cover up all of his negative traits, or because he still deserves to be respected and loved because he is my father or because despite the not so good discipline we got from him, his love for us still prevails.
I don't want to paint him as the worst father because he does have good qualities of being a father. He cares for us, he loves us. His kind of discipline is not just acceptable. I just had a call with him today to greet him on father's day which I joked my husband earlier that I will call to greet him or else I will be driven out of our house. Haha!! All I heard from the line were his plans for his grandchildren, that he misses us and how he longed for his grandson (my son). I told him not to worry because we are going home this December to be with them.
My father is now old - in his late 60s. After serving the government as a retired policeman and a 3-term town councilor, (PROUD DAUGHTER) he stays at home with my mother who is already a retired teacher, attends to his farm, enjoy taking care of his grandchildren, and watching tv. I just pray to God to give him good health. I love him dearly and if God will give us a chance to choose a father, I will still choose him in a heartbeat. There is no perfect father but he is perfect for me.
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY PAPANG. I LOVE YOU.
