Orlando's Magic

beatenegg (53)in #family • 6 years ago

He wasn't born with a silver spoon. He didn't have everything he wanted as a child. He did hard labor during his teenage years to keep up with hard life. He made sure that when he's got his own family, they wouldn't experience what he had.

And I am the proudest daughter because of that.

The eldest of the siblings, he didn't mind working at a young age and miss out on play times with friends. The sense of responsibility was instilled in him early on. They weren't rich, but not too poor either. His innocent heart wanted to make sure his parents didn't get too tired from raising them up. After all, they were 5 kids in the family and that was too much to raise from meager earnings of an honest Philippine police man.

I can only imagine how proud my grandfather must've been when my father graduated Civil Engineering while being a working student and capping off his achievements a few months later with highest scores in the licensure exams. With those under his belt, it wasn't hard for him to land on job. His earnings were enough to help his parents and to save up for his future. Even with my Mother coming to the picture, he made sure his siblings finished college.

Fast forward to now, with my own family and having met men who are also fathers, I am writing this with pride. My father is not perfect but he strived to be good. He didn't have much but he sure gave us enough. He had flaws and mistakes but he knew all of that and made up for it. He didn't give us all because he wanted to also instill in us the value of responsibility, of knowing how to survive on our own. But, he knew just when to get himself in the moment when we need him. He worked hard alongside my mother to make sure we have a comfortable life. He worked hard and didn't leave all the responsibility of raising up humans to my mother alone, unlike other fathers who either left or stayed but chose to not take full accountability of providing for the family. Truly, anyone can be a father but, it takes something special to be a dad.

My parents' happy moments, just a few months before my mom passed on.

My kids who were very happy to spend the holidays with their "popsie.

I am writing this as a tribute to my father who turned 63 over the weekend. We had our own ups and downs. I failed him one too many times but his unconditional love has seen through that. His love from when I just came out to this world until now has never changed. I don't tell this too often, but I am his proudest daughter and I love him very much. I know from my heart, that if given the chance to live again, I will choose him over and over to be my father and my kids' grandfather.