Remembering the foundation that was laid by my Father

20 years have passed since my father's departure, but his presence remains ever-present in our family's heart and soul. As I reflect on his life and legacy, I am reminded of the profound impact he had on me. He was very disciplined and determined.

My mom used to wake me and my siblings up in the early morning 5 AM to study and back then I always hated it. My sister used to go back to sleep which always bothered me. :) Often I used to complain about it to my Father. Every time I did, he used to respond, that if she is willing to have good academics then she would wake up to study, that way she would grow up get a good job, and would lead a good life. If you're too willing for a better life- then wake up, and study without bothering who is doing what otherwise you too go back to sleep. As It was too early for me to have the maturity to understand his words, I used to think he supported my sister. However, it didn't take much longer for me to understand his point of view. (This is just one example). He never forced us to study or tried to impose his thoughts about life. Rather he lived and let us watch him do it. !

He passed away(Unexpectedly & unfortunately) in 2003.

Just a week before my father passed away, one of my School friend lost his father in an accident.

That day, I was sleeping next to my father in the backyard and looking at the sky, many random thoughts came to my mind about my friend's family. I was like how is his family going to run without the main pillar?

For a second, I felt very scared and hugged my father tightly. (I still remember my father asking me what happened?). I didn't answer, just kept quite realizing the worth of having a father in life at the age of 13.

As Murphy's law says "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong", it did go wrong.

My father passed away just after a week of having a random thought about what it takes to run a family without a father.

My mother stood up, filled his position, and raised us through the worst phases of life. Forever grateful to my mother.

I still have my father's dairy, It had been a long time since I looked at it and recently I found it along with notes about my expenditure when I started my career. (I've kept them both in a secure box for memory and for my future kids to show them;).

I observed him living a disciplined life in managing responsibilities with patience and lots of love for family members without showing his frustrations. He had the habit of writing expenses that motivated me too to do it when I started my career.

What I learned is that keeping track of our expenses helps us to lead a balanced financial life and gives us control over expenditures.

Though my father may no longer walk beside me, his spirit continues to guide me, shaping the person I am and the person I aspire to be. His memory will forever be cherished and celebrated.