Father. There are no perfect fathers in the world, but yet there are fathers who loved perfectly.
I came upon this very touching videoin the afternoon and felt many different types of emotions and as well as memories and thoughts which I would like to share.
Father, a role whom many perceive to be more of a supporting cast in a dual parenting than the main nowadays. While looking at some comments laid down in the youtube video, I was primarily disgusted at how some could take this educational video to condemn other fathers who have not conducted themselves as one. There is always time to mud sling, but why at every opportunity to do so? It took me about a min before i realise also that comments given by our locals are very biaised and more often than not, are just given by trigger happy commuters who are probably eating their fries as they post. Zero thoughts given, what a waste of the human brain. Sometimes we are tempted to join and condemn the latest commuter who had not given up the seat to an elderly. Think again ,perhaps the commuter had a bad day with his knees or body. Why be so quick to condemn?
Anyway, back to the topic above. A father to me, represents a very big part in every child's life. Be it whether he gets to play a pivotal role in the child as he grows, nobody will know. However one can't deny that the role is there to for him to play.
As the younger of 2 sons, I would say that my father has been more patient with me than my brother. Perhaps when my brother was borned, my father was very young and only 23-24 years old. He was inexperienced and he had governed with a hard hand and was always not afraid to shell out caning to my elder brother. Most of my younger childhood was more fortunate. I was always spared and i fondly remembered my father buying the set of japanese super hero toys for me at OG. If my current set had a few broken arms and deemed 'unplayable' by me, I would pester my father to buy for me at OG. I didnt know how tired he would be, after coming back from work from the construction site and I would throw my temper if i feel i wouldn't get the toy i wanted. I was also not aware that my father was not earning much. I didnt demand much but only certain things. I remembered once we were on a trip to OG, just me and my father. On the way, his pickup broke down. He had to change the punctured tyre all by himself. I was very sure that in his mind back then, all he wanted was to ensure we could still reach OG in time to buy the toy for me.When we reached, it was already about to close. I managed to get my toy and was very happy. Did i even bother to ask how my dad was ? Did he injure any part of himself while changing the tyre? I regretted that I was more of an introvert those days and was always quiet. However, i remembered this incident very well.
When i got to Henry Park, i saw many children who were rich and had parents driving them in very rich cards as they got off in the school car park. I was feeling ashamed that i had to come in a pickup. When i got off, i quickly went to hide. There was a time i remembered my father asking if i was ashamed of him , i quickly brushed it off, and denying it. Till today, I am very ashamed still, but of myself. I do not know where part of my brain went to, but this is something that no child should learn of. Every child should be proud of their parents. Be it even if its just $1 or $2 as pocket money , do spare a thought for your parents as you may never know what they may have went through just to give you that money on the table.
Parents of yesteryear may not be as educated as today's. Thus I believe no matter how much we can disagree with parents over certain issues, the most important thing is to know that they have our affairs at heart. My mum , who is illiterate but managed to pick up chinese just by reading newspapers and the Bible daily, could understand how important reading was for young children and how important English will be come to be. She would bring us kids, including those that she had babysit, all to the library to make sure we can borrow books to read. There were times when we came home and realised we had borrowed some malay books! My mother could not be sure which books that were suitable for us. But today, my brother has a very successful career and I have been teaching English as tuition for the last ten years. Thus, most of the time, i wonder how much my mother could have achieve if she had went to school. However, it was her painstakingly efforts to send us to tuition no matter the cost that I will remember. Money earned through hard hours of babysitting.. Think about it. Thus, today, when parents ask of us things, we must try to do it as long as it is within our means.
As i am still not a parent to date, there are many things I have thought of for the future. How could it be like when a child, made up of characteristics of both me and my wife , stands beside me? I would see my childhood in him and likewise my wife's too. However, i have also thought what if im childless. Where will i be when both are old? Will we be in an old folks home? Sleeping by the road or in some place which we do not even know of by then?
Well, tomorrow is the weekend and I shouldn't sound so melancholy. Enough reminiscicing. Good night and sleep tight.