No matter how hard little girls wish upon a star, they won’t always end up with a prince as worthy and noble as their fathers. Sometimes, if lady luck winks upon her, she would end up with somebody better. Other times, probably more often than not, she wouldn’t.
My dad is one hard nut to crack. Growing up, it has always been hard being my father’s daughter. Unlike other dads, he never wants us to be like him; he wants us to surpass him. Anything less than that equals failure.
If you knew my dad’s life story, you’d know what he asks of us is not only a herculean task, it’s also impossible. For one, he did a very good job sterilizing our lives and keeping us away from anything that could harm us: sharp edges, pointed corners, mosquito bites, violent TV shows, the wrong crowd, and stupid high school boys lurking around like starving piranhas. He child-proofed our paths for as long as he could that there was hardly any opportunity to rise up to the occasion, until it was time to get out of his nurturing embrace and face the real world. It was only then that we realized how cruel the world can be to unsuspecting and naive little girls. We realized that monsters are real and they’re not always bad-looking. Fairy godmothers don’t always come to the rescue when you’re down, desperate, and trapped in the dungeon. Evil witches can take the form of friends and feed you with a golden apple. And prince charming can turn into a toad after your first kiss.
Luckily, we’ve learned that we don’t need fairy tales to know about true love. Luckily, we first learned about love from someone who’s actually capable of such kind—unconditional, pure, and without judgment; love that will accept you for who you are who you’re going to be, who you can be, and who you can’t. It’s the kind of love that gives me strength, keeps my values intact, and sustains me in a world full of monsters and witches and toads.
Our family is great because my dad made a lot of personal sacrifices. With his wisdom and heart, he could have been someone far greater than anyone could ever imagine, but he chose to protect his family and keep his daughters happy. And for that I’m forever thankful.
I know all dads are great, and I do hope everyone who’s a dad felt special this father’s day because they all deserve it.
