Happy Birthday Tatay!

by: Meg

If yesterday was my mother’s birthday, today is my father’s 60th birthday, amazing isn't it? Yes, that’s fact (at least two-in-one), one cake, one celebration, one in everything, hehehe. It’s always my mother who wants to make their birthdays one at the same time… (Did I tell that my mother is also good in accounting and budgeting? Well she’s expert on that!)

When I was young, I considered myself as the assistant of my father to any carpentry and repair works at home, no doubt why I earned this degree in Architecture. He also planned the nipa house we had in the province and I can still vividly remember it even when I was three years old then. My father was a very strict person…I used the verb ‘was’ because that was before when I was still studying. Afraid enclosed with respect is what I felt towards him. One time he caught me talking with someone on the phone (my father was on the extension line) and after that he asked me this question… what do you want --- to have a boyfriend or to study? I was so ashamed that time because I came to know how he wanted me to finish and prioritize my studies first. And from then on I focused and set my goals, it’s not just because I’m afraid of him but I came to see how my father really determined and strived to work hard just to finish our college degrees. And I’m proud of him as a security guard because all of his four children finished the tertiary level.

One thing that I really liked about my father is his being supportive in my decision especially when I wanted to work in Dubai 2008. My mother refused me to go but since I have him at my side, he entrusted me with his blessings to pursue my dream. At the same time, I assured and convinced my mother that it’s time to live a life independently on my own and explore the possibilities and opportunities abroad. God knows how deeply I was blessed to have an extended family abroad (my housemates, officemates and church mates in Dubai were truly my blessings).

Indeed, I admired and loved my father for the freedom he empowered me to follow my dreams. I’ve gone this far because of him. I realized that his strictness is wisdom of discipline which I owe him a lot until now. Like my mother, I want to thank and love God for giving me a great father like him which is definitely worth loving for.

Happy birthday Tatay! =)

(I like this song from Lee Greenwood)