Dads come in all shapes and sizes and forms… Actually, they are the overgrown little boys in distress, who endeavour to grow up real fast, the moment they become dads. They would have shirked or procrastinated their responsibilities (as men have often perfected the art), but the life in front of them is so precious that they finally learn to face the world.
While these ‘large kids’ learn the ropes of handling the junior, some become friendly, some tough, some fake ignorance while a few take up the fight head on, of life and for children. For this Father’s Day, we collected some cherished moments and musings with fathers, life that was, and the life that became.
Aishwarya, a communication professional, remembers her dad fondly for introducing her to the world that is deep seeded in her now.
“He introduced me to books, travel, and history. We shared the same sense of humour. He is still watching over me”.
Aishwarya, a mother of a teen herself, regards her father as her ‘main man’. She narrates:
“I remember when I was about 5 or 6 years and we were on a long train journey during our summer vacation, I suddenly developed a craving for boiled eggs. I threw a mini tantrum. In the middle of nowhere, on a train… Maybe it was Maharashtra or Madhya Pradesh… My dad got down at quite a few random stations to find the elusive eggs to placate his child. And finally, did. I knew he would”.
I think my mom put it best. She said, ‘Little girls soften their daddy’s hearts.’ Paul Walker
Anupama, a Design Professor shared that she loves her father for being supportive throughout and for being a source of strength from the start. He guided through the fables and left a piece of advice to ponder upon.
“Papa would generally call, us children, and tell us stories late in the nights…That is how he guided us. All the lessons were learnt during those story sessions.
They finally made sense when the time came to implement them. He once told us that if you had limited choices, invest ONLY in your children, And that is what I did!”
I believe that what we become depends on what our fathers teach us… when they aren’t trying to teach us. We are formed by little scraps of wisdom. Umberto Eco
Nidhi, a seasoned artist, expresses, “good fathers seem like tough guys, but they know how to make good kids”. During her childhood, she and her siblings ‘used to maintain a safe distance from their dad’.
Nidhi enjoyed a lot of ‘impulsive’ road travels with her dad. She shared that they would often be under prepared for such travels…
“My father was very careless with our fiat car and often postponed filling fuel…we ended up stranded on deserted roads with no petrol in the car.”
“We have done lots of odd jobs too, like helping him change punctured tyres, pushing the vehicle when battery died down, etc.”
Nidhi’s father never made the girls feel that they were the weaker sex…
“I remember, once in Jhansi, he made me climb a high wall of a temple and jump on to the other side, to open a door which was closed for lunch time.”
He has always provided me a safe place to land and a hard place from which to launch. Chelsea Clinton
Danny, market research professional says that he never missed his friends because he had the best at home, “yes, my cute father”.
Danny basks in the musings of the times when his dad would have a couple of drinks and did ‘a very cute dance at weddings and parties”. Danny carries on the custom and passes on the beacon to his ‘cute little’ 4-year-old daughter.
Fatherhood is great because you can ruin someone from scratch. Jon Stewart
Renuka and Saumika shared that the sheer expressions on fathers’ faces are enough to convey their pleasures and disappointments.
“Fathers know when to pamper and when to be strict with a child”.
Saumika’s father, now a retired RBI official was of course ‘really good’ at math, so he took it upon himself to prepare her for exams. A lot of us would identify with her situation…when our parents thought that they had the child prodigies at home. And we were what we were!
“Sometimes I would sleep off while my father was teaching…there were times when he got frustrated, the other times he would let me sleep and ask mom to make something ‘good to eat’ to re-energize me ”.
Renuka reminisces an academic incident with her father that impacted her deeply…when “silence was more powerful than loud sounds or strict words”.
“I had flunked in an exam and forged his signatures on my report card. As the luck would have it, I was caught before I could submit it. Dad did not say anything and signed the report card. The look of distress and fortitude was so piercing that I never failed another exam or lied to him again”.
Vidhu, an engineering student delights at “my father taught me how to compete, now even he can’t defeat me”.
“My father has had varied professional and personal experiences… he is a self-made man. Even with all ups and downs, he maintains his waggish side”.
“I admire his peoples’ skills…he taught me to participate in any situation with open mind…an open-mind has solutions to all problems, and allows you to take calculated risks..”
My dad, like any coach, has always stressed the fundamentals. He taught me responsibility, accountability, and the importance of hard work. Steve Young
Ruchi, a homemaker from Jaipur applauds her dad for his sense of humour and positive outlook towards life.
“I have never seen him grumbling or complaining…he even expresses his deepest anxieties with a smile adorned on his face…I salute my dad for this!”
Ruchi reminds that dads can be innocent too. However, this virtues mostly lies in their inexperience with a situation…
“Once when I went to buy vegetables with father, he asked a very young woman, ““Mai, how much is the tori (sponge gourd)?””. The woman looked shocked and disappointed. Papa was guilty of something incomprehensible and tried to nullify the feeling by buying tons of vegetables from her.
He was left embarrassed twice that day, once for forgetting that ‘mai’ refers to an ‘old woman (really old)’, and the second time when my mother bombarded my father for why he had bought vegetables for the entire neighbourhood…My poor dad!!”
Happy Father’s Day to all Lexicon World’s readers. Send us your cherished experiences, moments and learnings with family and friends. Be a part of the World that encourages you to ‘Free to be Me’.
Monica (Managing Editor) is the quintessential researcher - she thrives on showcasing overlooked aspects that form the foundation blocks of people, places and issues. She is a social scientist by profession with masters in Economics and loves to travel.