Ah…those wonderful years of being a young executive and enjoying, quite unadulteratedly the joys of being a Father!
No major responsibility at that point of time as you’re so young, still a novice in the corporate world and life is affordable with whatever you can provide for the family with the meagre earnings brought in.
This is 1993 – 94 or thereabouts, I think…
And then life starts meandering over rocks and rapids. Food on the table. Education Fees. House rents. Wardrobe demands. And suddenly that loving Dad falls into a vortex of ‘progress demand’…if you know what I mean!
Then begins a traverse. A journey filled with responsibilities and more importantly, an existence divorced of any feelings other then to survive those who depend on you.
Ultimately, reality kicks in: YOUR PROGRESS IS YOUR FAMILY’S PROGRESS! And that becomes the mantra of life…
Step ahead into the future…4 decades or so. You’ve done a good job but not really! Everyone survived…but you. Mother’s Day is an amazing celebration! Father’s day…ah well…but you never were around in any case!!
But that’s okay. Because the biggest satisfaction for any Dad is his silent celebration when his child walks up to get awarded on Graduation Day. When they step into their first job and do a jig of joy. When they find their life partners and walk up the aisle hand in hand with him even though its customary for them to do it. For him…its a lifetime achievement!
And then eventually, when the grey hairs are few in number on a shining bald head to hold his grandchildren in his arms and whisper softly into their ears…I’ve always loved your Mum. Always missed her so deeply as I walked the harsh sands of time just so she could be whoever she ever wanted to be.
And the gurgles in reply transport one back in time. That’s how you both gurgled as nonchalantly like this till that soon became just an echo in time for me.
I just wish that one day they look back contemplatively and connect with a reality of an existence that a Father silently bears through his ravages of time…
