Happy Fathers’ Day!

Daddies worldwide were featured across social media. Those gray beards, bald heads, pot bellies, hunched shoulders, and battle-tested feet were out there on display with some words of affection, pomp, sacrifice, or memories.

What started as a Hallmark greeting card day has persisted far beyond the closure of several stores of the iconic brand. Today, it is perhaps the one day that people are compelled to think about their father or grandfather.

For fathers, it is an opportunity to reflect upon what they have been through, done right, or could have done better. Hug the kids or pets with a sense of pride, some gratitude, and joy for the tribe.

Today, for me is a blend of gratitude for my dad, my grandfathers as well as my fatherly figures in uncles. They have shaped me in ways that are hard to quantify, some of their attributes that I have ended up emulating, others that I have fought off and resisted from following. Thoughts about the experiences, mostly joyful, that they have gifted me with, whether taking me to a park as a kid, getting me that gift I needed, sending me to college, or that excursion all flashing by while scrolling through the endless pages of social media splashed with fatherly pics. As a confessed introvert, I do not normally post personal stuff, but of course, I could not help but notice a sibling post my dad’s pic.

My father has always been a source of strength, someone, that has given me a feeling of a person I can rely on to fix any of my screw-ups. Someone I can go to, to get a good laugh, some words of encouragement, or a freak idea and the most unconventional way to solve a problem. Yet, he is also the guy that my sister and I make fun of as the person that goes through the “literature” cover to cover before opening the covers off it. He can be caustic, funny, and sensitive almost all at the same time. More than a father, he is always a friend. Not known to be a strict disciplinarian, not someone who stands for firm values (this has been a source of conflict), but always someone that provides for his kids, beyond his abilities. Heck, back in the day, he was known to spend almost his entire salary on my toys.

To see that smile on my face, he would go out of his way to get me a wooden bus or Ramek’s cheese to peel off the stickers to enter a raffle. You may find that I don’t go into too much description of these events as they are more of mind markers for me, vs. a public show of affection that I am not known for. To you, dear dad! One peek into one event in my early life that sticks! Many more.. but there are many more Pop’s days to get into those!

Happy Fathers’ Day!

Happy Fathers’ Day!

Daddies worldwide were featured across social media. Those gray beards, bald heads, pot bellies, hunched shoulders, and battle-tested feet were out there on display with some words of affection, pomp, sacrifice, or memories.

What started as a Hallmark greeting card day has persisted far beyond the closure of several stores of the iconic brand. Today, it is perhaps the one day that people are compelled to think about their father or grandfather.

For fathers, it is an opportunity to reflect upon what they have been through, done right, or could have done better. Hug the kids or pets with a sense of pride, some gratitude, and joy for the tribe.

Today, for me is a blend of gratitude for my dad, my grandfathers as well as my fatherly figures in uncles. They have shaped me in ways that are hard to quantify, some of their attributes that I have ended up emulating, others that I have fought off and resisted from following. Thoughts about the experiences, mostly joyful, that they have gifted me with, whether taking me to a park as a kid, getting me that gift I needed, sending me to college, or that excursion all flashing by while scrolling through the endless pages of social media splashed with fatherly pics. As a confessed introvert, I do not normally post personal stuff, but of course, I could not help but notice a sibling post my dad’s pic.

My father has always been a source of strength, someone, that has given me a feeling of a person I can rely on to fix any of my screw-ups. Someone I can go to, to get a good laugh, some words of encouragement, or a freak idea and the most unconventional way to solve a problem. Yet, he is also the guy that my sister and I make fun of as the person that goes through the “literature” cover to cover before opening the covers off it. He can be caustic, funny, and sensitive almost all at the same time. More than a father, he is always a friend. Not known to be a strict disciplinarian, not someone who stands for firm values (this has been a source of conflict), but always someone that provides for his kids, beyond his abilities. Heck, back in the day, he was known to spend almost his entire salary on my toys.

To see that smile on my face, he would go out of his way to get me a wooden bus or Ramek’s cheese to peel off the stickers to enter a raffle. You may find that I don’t go into too much description of these events as they are more of mind markers for me, vs. a public show of affection that I am not known for. To you, dear dad! One peek into one event in my early life that sticks! Many more.. but there are many more Pop’s days to get into those!

Happy Fathers’ Day!