"PAPA!" That endearing sound!
It goes without saying that I adore my father. Everyone who knows me knows that!
My cousin says that I am a "daddy's girl". I am unsure what she exactly means by that...
But I love Papa and Papa loves me, so I guess she means that...but I disdain the exclusivity it might imply because Papa's heart is so big that every child he loves could be his"girl" or "boy". I know he loves my sisters, brothers and cousins a lot too and I lay no special claim to his love.
Nonetheless I have always shared a special,if not exclusive bond with Papa. He was never my hero, I never viewed him that way. Papa was well past forty when I was born and the first image I have of him is one of a reverent old man, the patriarch of our family,the pastor of our small local church, the one whom strangers called "baba", and neighbors called"uncle". He was so different from my idea of a hero, so different from the young and energetic daddies of my friends. I was so protective of him even as a little girl! Once I got very mad at a man who took some nails from Papa's hands in a hardware store! I thought he was snatching it away because he didn't ask whether he could have a look...and that man looked rough too. I was so mad I went home and told Mama that somebody took away Papa's nails at the store! Mama was probably amused and told me that I should have spoken up then!I was ashamed that I didn't. Papa was always so good to others that I feared people would take advantage of him. He never cheated, never fought, never lied...he was always reverent and kind...and the world as I saw it was a cruel one!
Papa is the epitome of idealism. I clearly remember that the title of one of the book on his shelf was "The Idealist View of Life". He has high ideals and principles and he is known for that. People take him for a moral perfectionist, an impossible to please person. He is widely misunderstood. He is a man of his words, he sticks to what he says. His view seldom changes once formed. He has definite opinions but he always encourages inquiry...I used to find this baffling!His teachings range from the abstract to everyday manners and conduct. He loves to read and his readings range from history to physics, from theology to philosophy, from poems to politics,etc. Often he would pick up our old textbooks and read them, learning all over again or perhaps learning for the first time. He still has his books,even notebooks from his college days. I used to fancy those yellow exotic pages and once took the courage to ask him for one of those but Papa flatly refused. I never asked for his" treasures" again! He refuses to throw them out, they are older than us and Mama thinks that they should be discarded if they are not being used. Papa disagrees and Mama understands....she is in fact the one who cares for his books and warns us not to soil or spoil them should we use them and as for some books she would insist we ask Papa's permission. Papa values education;though he had to forgo higher formal education because he had to take up responsibilities by taking up a job he never remained uneducated. He has read extensively. To give you an idea, his library has writings by Tolstoy, Joesphus, Vivekananda,H.G. Wells, E. G. White, Gandhi, Hawkings,Billy Graham,etc.. He also has an exclusive edition of the Arabian Nights, he has the Mahabhartha and the Ramayana as well. He never limited knowledge to the range of one culture. So along with our traditional folktales which he would orally tell us, we got to read the Grimm Bothers, Hans Christian Anderson, Aesop fables,Tennali Ramkrisna, Hetopadesa,etc. These might not sound so great now but it was a big thing then when books were scarce and expensive. Only the determined and crazy got all those!
He instilled in us a love for learning and curiosity. He might deny us many things but he won't deny us anything related to our education. I grew up feeling very rich because of that!
Papa loves children. It is a usual sight in our backyard to see him play carom with the neighborhood kids, singing as they strike their best shot! My little cousins are very fond of him and remembers every word he says, often repeating them to their parents. Papa is very fond of chess and would coax any potential partner into playing with him and of course they would play for hours on end! He often plays Chinese checkers with Mama and we used to enjoy playing cards in the evenings too.
Papa never tires of speaking. My aunt thinks that I got this trait from him! Often he repeats the same thing over and over again much to others'annoyance but I see that it's important-this shows the urgency he feels, reveals his constancy and the intensity of his convictions in what he says. Well, it took me sometime to realize this, I wish people also knew.
Some people say I look like Papa. That gladdens my heart because Papa is quite good looking and the photos of him in his younger days are dashing! I got his skin tone and forehead for sure and his liking for bitter food. Both of us love reading. It's a joy to share books with him! Papa can be quite critical at times and so am I. As a part of his pastoral ministry he would go home-visiting and I would hop along with him too, often my two younger siblings would join us. That way I came to know many people and visited many places I otherwise won't have known. Such experience also taught me to listen to "serious"conversations.
Papa was the one who was tough on me, tougher than Mama that is. I was a dreamer and usually very lazy. But Papa would make me work-he would make me carry firewood, water, sand,etc., make me wash his socks and shirts, make him tea, etc. He could have told others to do those works but it had to be me. He usually was the one who saw the wrongs I was getting into. He would reprimand me for being vain, for being careless and shoddy, etc.He would be quick to silence me when I am talking rudely or proudly.He often checked on us while we studied; needless to say he has caught me often lost in thoughts or playing with stationary. He taught me never to wallow in self-pity, never to lie or steal or bear false witness. He was always proud of my work but never satisfied-he would always point out areas I needed improve in. I still need to work on the very things Papa began working in me; I am glad he pointed them out and began the work too.
Papa would take care of us as much as Mama would when we would fall sick. He would sit beside us as he read, massage us, and tell us that we will be well soon. Most importantly,he would pray over us and when he did that I was sure that I would be alright soon. He is very affectionate. He would come check on us while we are asleep. He brings us lots of goodies to eat. He says all those silly things which only a father can tell his kids. He makes sure we have everything we need or even want. I don't doubt his willingness to provide so whenever he refuses me anything I respect his decision. He would lovingly roast eggs and potatoes for us. He spends hours making and packing goodies with Mama to send them to us now that we all are away from home. He would make "chula" and hot water bags for us as we studied during the cold winter days. I was the night owl in the family and would sometimes study late into the night,but Papa would insist that I sleep well. What a blessedness it was (and is) to know he cares....
Papa works very hard with his hands too. He almost single-handedly built two rooms adjoining our small government quarters. He would carve out candle stands, spoons, etc. from wood. He never shies away from menial work;in fact he even cleans our septic tank if need be! He once dug a shallow well near our home all by himself, he built out kitchen hearth in the traditional style too. All the cementing work in our yard has been done by him. He made a comfortable place for Mama to wash clothes by hauling big slabs of rocks from the river! He makes sure we have strong and enough clotheslines too.He also does all the fencing and pruning work in our little abode. There are more I am sure...
Papa is a fighter...he is a generous soul...he is so childlike too...he is naive at times...he has so many faults too...but He loves God and God loves him. God has given me the honor of hearing praises about Papa even from strangers and non-believers. People trust him...there's something about him which commands trust. I love the way he prays...I love the way he blesses us...I love the way he sings...I love my Papa!
When I went home from college for the first time Papa ran out to meet me on hearing my voice. How I long to see him again! I have been away from home for too long....O Lord take me back home to be with Papa and Mama again very soon!
It goes without saying that I adore my father. Everyone who knows me knows that!
My cousin says that I am a "daddy's girl". I am unsure what she exactly means by that...
But I love Papa and Papa loves me, so I guess she means that...but I disdain the exclusivity it might imply because Papa's heart is so big that every child he loves could be his"girl" or "boy". I know he loves my sisters, brothers and cousins a lot too and I lay no special claim to his love.
Nonetheless I have always shared a special,if not exclusive bond with Papa. He was never my hero, I never viewed him that way. Papa was well past forty when I was born and the first image I have of him is one of a reverent old man, the patriarch of our family,the pastor of our small local church, the one whom strangers called "baba", and neighbors called"uncle". He was so different from my idea of a hero, so different from the young and energetic daddies of my friends. I was so protective of him even as a little girl! Once I got very mad at a man who took some nails from Papa's hands in a hardware store! I thought he was snatching it away because he didn't ask whether he could have a look...and that man looked rough too. I was so mad I went home and told Mama that somebody took away Papa's nails at the store! Mama was probably amused and told me that I should have spoken up then!I was ashamed that I didn't. Papa was always so good to others that I feared people would take advantage of him. He never cheated, never fought, never lied...he was always reverent and kind...and the world as I saw it was a cruel one!
Papa is the epitome of idealism. I clearly remember that the title of one of the book on his shelf was "The Idealist View of Life". He has high ideals and principles and he is known for that. People take him for a moral perfectionist, an impossible to please person. He is widely misunderstood. He is a man of his words, he sticks to what he says. His view seldom changes once formed. He has definite opinions but he always encourages inquiry...I used to find this baffling!His teachings range from the abstract to everyday manners and conduct. He loves to read and his readings range from history to physics, from theology to philosophy, from poems to politics,etc. Often he would pick up our old textbooks and read them, learning all over again or perhaps learning for the first time. He still has his books,even notebooks from his college days. I used to fancy those yellow exotic pages and once took the courage to ask him for one of those but Papa flatly refused. I never asked for his" treasures" again! He refuses to throw them out, they are older than us and Mama thinks that they should be discarded if they are not being used. Papa disagrees and Mama understands....she is in fact the one who cares for his books and warns us not to soil or spoil them should we use them and as for some books she would insist we ask Papa's permission. Papa values education;though he had to forgo higher formal education because he had to take up responsibilities by taking up a job he never remained uneducated. He has read extensively. To give you an idea, his library has writings by Tolstoy, Joesphus, Vivekananda,H.G. Wells, E. G. White, Gandhi, Hawkings,Billy Graham,etc.. He also has an exclusive edition of the Arabian Nights, he has the Mahabhartha and the Ramayana as well. He never limited knowledge to the range of one culture. So along with our traditional folktales which he would orally tell us, we got to read the Grimm Bothers, Hans Christian Anderson, Aesop fables,Tennali Ramkrisna, Hetopadesa,etc. These might not sound so great now but it was a big thing then when books were scarce and expensive. Only the determined and crazy got all those!
He instilled in us a love for learning and curiosity. He might deny us many things but he won't deny us anything related to our education. I grew up feeling very rich because of that!
Papa loves children. It is a usual sight in our backyard to see him play carom with the neighborhood kids, singing as they strike their best shot! My little cousins are very fond of him and remembers every word he says, often repeating them to their parents. Papa is very fond of chess and would coax any potential partner into playing with him and of course they would play for hours on end! He often plays Chinese checkers with Mama and we used to enjoy playing cards in the evenings too.
Papa never tires of speaking. My aunt thinks that I got this trait from him! Often he repeats the same thing over and over again much to others'annoyance but I see that it's important-this shows the urgency he feels, reveals his constancy and the intensity of his convictions in what he says. Well, it took me sometime to realize this, I wish people also knew.
Some people say I look like Papa. That gladdens my heart because Papa is quite good looking and the photos of him in his younger days are dashing! I got his skin tone and forehead for sure and his liking for bitter food. Both of us love reading. It's a joy to share books with him! Papa can be quite critical at times and so am I. As a part of his pastoral ministry he would go home-visiting and I would hop along with him too, often my two younger siblings would join us. That way I came to know many people and visited many places I otherwise won't have known. Such experience also taught me to listen to "serious"conversations.
Papa was the one who was tough on me, tougher than Mama that is. I was a dreamer and usually very lazy. But Papa would make me work-he would make me carry firewood, water, sand,etc., make me wash his socks and shirts, make him tea, etc. He could have told others to do those works but it had to be me. He usually was the one who saw the wrongs I was getting into. He would reprimand me for being vain, for being careless and shoddy, etc.He would be quick to silence me when I am talking rudely or proudly.He often checked on us while we studied; needless to say he has caught me often lost in thoughts or playing with stationary. He taught me never to wallow in self-pity, never to lie or steal or bear false witness. He was always proud of my work but never satisfied-he would always point out areas I needed improve in. I still need to work on the very things Papa began working in me; I am glad he pointed them out and began the work too.
Papa would take care of us as much as Mama would when we would fall sick. He would sit beside us as he read, massage us, and tell us that we will be well soon. Most importantly,he would pray over us and when he did that I was sure that I would be alright soon. He is very affectionate. He would come check on us while we are asleep. He brings us lots of goodies to eat. He says all those silly things which only a father can tell his kids. He makes sure we have everything we need or even want. I don't doubt his willingness to provide so whenever he refuses me anything I respect his decision. He would lovingly roast eggs and potatoes for us. He spends hours making and packing goodies with Mama to send them to us now that we all are away from home. He would make "chula" and hot water bags for us as we studied during the cold winter days. I was the night owl in the family and would sometimes study late into the night,but Papa would insist that I sleep well. What a blessedness it was (and is) to know he cares....
Papa works very hard with his hands too. He almost single-handedly built two rooms adjoining our small government quarters. He would carve out candle stands, spoons, etc. from wood. He never shies away from menial work;in fact he even cleans our septic tank if need be! He once dug a shallow well near our home all by himself, he built out kitchen hearth in the traditional style too. All the cementing work in our yard has been done by him. He made a comfortable place for Mama to wash clothes by hauling big slabs of rocks from the river! He makes sure we have strong and enough clotheslines too.He also does all the fencing and pruning work in our little abode. There are more I am sure...
Papa is a fighter...he is a generous soul...he is so childlike too...he is naive at times...he has so many faults too...but He loves God and God loves him. God has given me the honor of hearing praises about Papa even from strangers and non-believers. People trust him...there's something about him which commands trust. I love the way he prays...I love the way he blesses us...I love the way he sings...I love my Papa!
When I went home from college for the first time Papa ran out to meet me on hearing my voice. How I long to see him again! I have been away from home for too long....O Lord take me back home to be with Papa and Mama again very soon!
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