"A smile that is shown, a tear that is hidden and the heart that does it all,
A joy that is shared, a sorrow that is buried, Ah the life that bestows it all;
Behind me, besides me and leading my way always,
My little pains, my big cheers, the heart that knows it all."
A motorbike. Driving it is the Man this post, this blog, this author and his whole life is and will always be dedicated to. Riding it on the backseat is your proud author, proud because your author is the son of the Man driving it. A cool breeze. Your author looks at the evening sky. There are black clouds coming in. “It’s going to rain” he thinks. A drop pours in and lands into his eye. He hates it. Another drop and this time he moves out of the way. A third and it’s a save once again. The game has become interesting now and your author is all into it. He is moving, shifting, hopping, and jumping on the bike itself. He need not worry about falling because all this while, his hands are clutching his Papa and he knows he can count on him. He looks at the road and then at his feet. A realization. He tells it to his Papa- “A feet taller and my legs would touch the ground. Then, I would drive the bike and you could sit on the back”. A revelation, consequent of the realization. In a moment, the surprised father goes through all the years that have passed since he became one. He thinks about the time he himself was a kid and about how far he has come. Finally, he thinks about the time in future that his son so nonchalantly mentioned. “That would be some day, right?” is what an emotionally charged version of an otherwise cool father can muster up to say to his son.
Those years have passed and the day has come and gone. What still remains is the fact how the duo still enjoys those oh so awesome bike rides, exchanging seats, exchanging ideas, sharing stories, sharing those scrumptious veg. rolls, sharing this life that few really get to enjoy.
The present- He, the author, looks at his Papa taking that lovable siesta of his. “He sleeps like a child, hands resting on the chest and an innocent smile spread on his babyface”, he thinks. He knows he loves his Papa and that he can never really answer the question his sister keeps asking everyone-“Whom do you love the most in the family?” She has never got an objective answer from anyone and he knows she never will.
His Maa is the benchmark of an ideal lady to him; maybe all mothers are to their sons. But his Papa is the quintessential practical man, the go-to guy, the man who knows how to do things and who knows how to get them done. He, the author, is no longer thinking now. He doesn’t need to. Images and memories are flooding in from everywhere and into his mind. He picks one up and looks at it. It’s his father dropping him to school even though he is ill. Another one, this time the author is learning to drive a car and his father is right beside, instructing him to take that foot off the accelerator J.The third image is that of the duo parting because the father has to go back while the son has to stay at a hostel thenceforth. In that image too, he can see the drops of love in his father’s eyes and the smile of disguise on his face. “He has always been like that”, he thinks about his father. Never has he ever let the frustrations and pains of his professional or individual life get to his family. Yet, he has taken care not to spoil his children nor to pamper them too much. Papa and Maa have always worked out the perfect balance to let their children grow into responsible people. He has told them about the harsh times in their lives and made them believe that tomorrow would be another day. He is an optimist, a quality so rare when you are a realist. But he doesn’t force his principles on his children. He shows them the right path but they may walk as they choose to. He knows the ‘tomorrow’ of their children. He has seen it. And he knows that sooner or later his children will have to choose paths on their own. He wants them to be ready for that day.
The author wouldn’t say that whatever he is, he is because of his father. Maybe he could have been better if he were all that his Papa wanted him to be. Maybe, he is yet to be. Surely. Surely, he has yet to be better than this. He remembers all the lessons that his father didn’t just opine him but acted out practically.
Another image has come up. This one is of the author’s Pre-Nursery Schooling. He has been ill during tests but the tests are a compulsion. So his father has come with him just so he could finish the test and leave for home mid school. They enter the Principal’s office. It’s a convent and he addresses the Principal as ‘Father’. The Principal asks the little kid in Hindi, “यह कौन है ?” (Who is he?) pointing to Papa. The kid looks up to his Papa, turns back to look at the Principal and replies “Father”. The Principal smiles. The kid once again looks up to see a proud, proud Papa smiling at his son’s little gesture. The principal chuckles and asks again, “तो मैं कौन हूँ?” (Then who am I?). The kid replies, “आप स्कूल में father हैं , पापा घर में father हैं.” (You are the father at school while Papa is father at home). The Principal laughs this time and sends the kid home with a candy. On the way back, a delighted Papa, a delighted ‘father’ expresses his happiness to his son standing in between his arms on the scooter. He asks his son to ask for a gift. The son thinks for a second and says “ Big Babool chewing gum because it has free cricket player cards free with it”. That day, the father takes his son to the shop and buys him few chewing gums and a handful of the same cards.
Papa, I can’t tell you how fortunate a son I am. As I write this post, I feel the same sense of pride for you as you felt in the above incident. I want to give you a gift, not for everything that you have done for me but because I am too happy. But I haven’t really got anything to give you. Albeit, you and Ma have always maintained how we, your children are your greatest gifts. And so, this Father's day, I give you a warm, warm hug. For I am your greatest gift and you are mine.
This father’s day, I am expressing my love towards my dad by participating in the #HugYourDad activity at BlogAdda in association with Vicks.
