SUPER DAD

“If the mother is the heart of the family then the father is the soul of the family.”

It is a big honour for us to be daughters of such an outstanding person. Wait you might be thinking my Papa is a billionaire or celebrity no he is not but more than that. My Papa doesn’t have any superpowers to move mountains, nor is he any rich guy who takes his family for world tours. My father is a very simple person, he is a soldier, yes a soldier and the factor which makes him unique is his virtues. He is adventurous, calm minded, multi-tasking, full of humour, jolly and a kind-hearted person. He is a perfect example of a gentleman. There are endless reasons which make my father a superhero.

My father struggled a lot in his life since his childhood but struggles alone did not make him a superhero, his deeds, his karma made him a superhero. Though born with a silver spoon, due to grandfather’s extravagant kind-heartedness grandfather got bankrupt and the soon family was in debt. It had had a striking impact on the 8-year-old boy. Then he made up his mind to be a helping hand of his father and raise the other three younger ones.

Can anyone ever imagine an 8-year-old boy thinking about a family? Deciding to take responsibility for the family? The situation played a vital role in transforming the mind of the eight-year-old kid into a mature thinker.

For a better opportunity grandfather sent him to his maternal house, from there his life took a U-turn. There along with the studies, the little boy had to follow the stringent rules of the maternal aunt word by word. The school was far from the house, the little one had to walk miles to reach the school but he neither complained nor made any excuses that “my legs are paining” or “I am sick” nor did he think of running away from his studies. His diligence in nature makes him my superhero.

The toil was exhausting but he never gave up. When he reached a young age he applied for many jobs. Finally, he cracked the Indian Army entrance exam and with flying colours cleared all the phases. Joining the army was not difficult for him because at that time he was firm about it. With a smile on his face, he accepted all the challenges and got victorious in every step, wherever he was deployed, happily, he relocated there. He followed the motto “Service before Self”. Now also he is following the same. Multi-tasking, handling all situations calmly with a smile, his enthusiasm and amiable nature makes him my superhero.

I can write a book if I start counting what makes my father a superhero.

However, my Papa is an affectionate and supportive person. He raised his younger brothers and made them stand on their feet. He has a deep respect for elders. Until the last breath of my grandparents, he took care of them. He tried to fulfil all their longings. Not only this he respected and adored my maternal grandparents too. His pious nature makes him a gentleman and a superhero to me.

Further, he always treats my mother like a queen, he immensely respects her decision, guides her, takes good care of her and often gives a helping hand to her. This makes him a real king. He never did gender discrimination. He merrily welcomed his two daughters and raised them like a princess. He held their tiny hands tight and taught them how to take a step and survive in this big world. Along with insinuating virtues in their mind and soul, he made them independent and capable.

Bullying, betrayal, criticisms and defaming is part and parcel of society. Papa faced many and still, he is facing a myriad but tends to forgive those people. He says

“if you start heeding their words and focus on their filthy acts you will get distracted from your goals and then you won’t be able to accomplish your dreams. So don’t eavesdrop on them.”

Forgiveness generates an incredible light of equanimity inside a person which helps him/her to grow and prosper in life, that is why he always advises us to clean our hearts, forgive such troublesome fellows and move ahead with a smiling face. The act of forgiveness makes him my superhero.

Perhaps, apart from his family, directly or indirectly without any expectations, he helped several people. He also gave his helping hand to the folk who once tried to harm him and his family. He says,

“your success should never devour your virtues. Never dishonour anyone in life nor disgrace any person who came to seek your help.”

This extraordinary quality makes him different from others. People adore him, respect him for his distinct nature. He is a source of inspiration not only for his daughters but for many. This appreciation and accordance he earned in his life from his good karma which makes my Papa a superhero.

I from the core of my heart thank God for this beautiful father-daughter relationship. A big thank you to Papa for shaping my mind and making me a karmic person. No matter wherever I go and how many people I meet, you will always be my superhero and the first love of my life.