The best dad one could ever have

Sacrifices that a mother makes in giving birth and raising a child is something unparalleled and is also something about which a lot has been sung and written.

But, when it comes to Dads that doesn't happen to be the case and neither did I ever realise about this backbone of mine until I became one.

Someone, who always works in the shadows and never ever expects any credit for anything he has done. Heck, he doesn't even realise the sacrifices he's made, leave alone expect us to recognise it.

I remember the time when my dad was posted to a rural branch of his bank for a couple of years. Me and my brother used to live with my mom in Chennai whereas he used to visit us every weekend. I can't imagine the pain and suffering he would have gone through those days living all by himself (those were the days prior to mobile or internet when we didn't even have a landline phone at home) with the only thought of waiting for the weekend to arrive to see his family.

During summer vacations, when we used to travel to his place in Krishnagiri, he tried to make us as happy as possible by taking us out every evening for movies and wherever else he could. But still my brother and I used to hate going there because of missing out on playing with our friends back in Chennai.

Thinking back, I now realise how much he would have looked forward to those days so that he could get to spend more time with his family. 

After having been separated from my wife and daughter for almost 4 months now due to Coronavirus situation with just the thought of looking forward to the days of reuniting with my family, I can now very well relate to his predicament in those days.

Having to undergo two life threatening surgeries, ones that involved opening his skull followed by a painful recovery, to being back at work and then retiring successfully.  What else is there that he cannot do? Our well being must have been the only driving factor for him to get back on his feet and work his way up.

To top it all, he even learnt to drive a car after all this happened. Guess that's where I get my attitude to constantly push my limits and try something out of my comfort zone even if I'm sick and down.

Now that I watch him play with my daughter and spoil her good, the father in me rages but the son in me is filled with excitement and jubilation. It's a feeling for which words fail to do justice.

His smile may not be the most perfect due to the impact the surgeries delivered on his facial nerve but his is the most beautiful smile I've ever seen.

Love you Appa. Happy Father's day, 2020.

PS: If he gets to read this, I wish he would keep his reaction to himself, for I'm too shy to even share this blog with him.