Monday, June 29, 2009

My Daddy - The Champ

I had spent 2 solid long weeks with my dad last week. I am glad that I did it. We had good chats in the car, talking about cars, about us, about the family and the good old days. Topics that we used to talked about when he was driving long distance and I would stay awake to keep him company while the rest were asleep. This time around I was driving him.

When I was growing up, I always thought of him as the rock, the ultimate decision maker. When he said no, nobody in the family can dispute that. He rarely lost his cool. We were always his priorities and maybe still are. I remember him as the father who made sure that no mosquitoes will bite us when we were asleep. He didn't read to us or tuck us in before we go to sleep like western father does, but alas he would made sure that we had our blanket on and mosquito coil was lighted to ward off mosquitoes.

He was a teacher, a great one too because his ex-students would came up to him and gave him a hug or introduced themselves, shake his hands and would tell him what they have became. His salary was RM1,200 when he retired in 1980's. There were 7 of us but we have never felt that we didn't have enough money. There were really good food on the table everyday, we had crabs and lobsters by the buckets. Life with my dad was really, really good. I had a great childhood with him.

This September, my dad will be 75 years old. He was no longer the rock. He has Parkinson. A mild one. He has lost many of his good friends. He is no longer the jovial person I used to know. I have to help him make decisions for him and the family. I have to take him to see the doctors. It is my turn now to take care of him. I pray, that I could take care of him just the way he took care of me.

When we were away in Malaysia for 2 weeks, my daughter wrote a poem and a letter to her dad:

My Dad the Champ

My dad spreads love everywhere
My dad is strong, he can lift both of us
He is not afraid of anything
He is always here for me
But most of all, he loves me

He works hard for money
Money becomes things
Things becomes feelings
Feelings become love

I miss you so much when we are in Malaysia. I hope next time we go to Malaysia, you could come too. We had so much fun and there are lots of fun things and parks there. I want to show you right here, right now. We might come home earlier. I hope you love the poem and mostly ME.
I hope that she would have the same relationship with her dad as I have with my dad.