I am my "Father's Daughter"

Even though I have spent just a few years with my Papa; most of which went by being a child remembering = nothing. I treasure the few things he made sure continue to live by.

His voice keeps fading away, his face features tend to get washed away in the memory, what he called me/how he called me has been vanished from my memory but to keep alive the tiniest of it I cleaned out Papa’s closet recently. There were two things I could not move on from: his clothes that I assume in my head that still smells like him after 14 years and his uncountable books. He could not remember birthdays or anniversaries for which my mom would irritate the hell out of him, but he remembered the date on which he had bought a particular book. I could not understand then, but I preserve the thought today. Today, the 1% literate/ 1% sane/ 1% sensible/1% smart & logical that I am is all because of my fathers’ books & the habit of reading that he inculcated in me. In today’s world of pictures & online tabs – I will make sure to hold onto physical books, their warmth, their raw smell & their pages to be kept from getting folded. What does a child do with her Papa’s favorite books anyway? Well, I would definitely look to keep them and pass them down someday to my daughter.

While mentioning so another day I remember I was reading an article in the newspaper which again my Papa made me a habit of was “THE SPEAKING TREE” when I came across a word I didn’t know. “Papa, what is the meaning of the word ambiguity?” My Papa, as he usually did after work, was reading his favorite book. “You have a dictionary, don’t you?” he shot back. He didn’t even look at my face. I went back to my room, and there on my study table was that dictionary. 14 years have passed, and even after having Google handy I still love to use that dictionary, just for the comfort of my emotion & because it taught me an important lesson I received early in life from my best man: to be self-sufficient.

Sharing this short piece here to make sure it reaches even if possible that 1 child out there who is holding on to their emotions/anxiety which in reality makes them the strongest ??

#strength #perseverance #selfsufficient #thespeakingtree

Happy Birthday Hero ??