Happy Father's Day To The Dads Closest To My Heart

There are three fathers who are close to my heart: my husband, my dad, and my brother. To them I dedicate this Father's Day post of mine. These fathers are not perfect and they have their flaws. But each of them are special in their own ways and I love them for being so.


Dadijun and Rap.


My dad with Rap.


My brother and nephew.
I seldom call my husband by his first name. All of us in the family refer to him as Dadijun. He became Dadijun years before he even had Rap as it was his oldest niece who started to call him Daddy. Being the only man in their family, he serves as the string that binds the flowers. He has the ability to lead and to be followed. He directs without ever sounding too dominant. To Rap and his niece and nephews, he is an idol. To me, he's the most responsible and loving Daddy ever. He knows how to strike a balance in being a friend and a father. I am so proud and thankful that my son has the best dad in the whole wide world!

My dad has always been misunderstood by many. Yes, he has made mistakes in the past. He has made me feel furious and disappointed in some instances. Yet, I have taught myself to let go of the ill feelings and let them be overshadowed by good memories. It is better and healthier this way. He was the one who had the time to tell us stories and helped us memorize the multiplicaton table back in the days when my mom would work 12 hours a day. He was the one who taught me how to wash the clothes and to cook rice. Now I understand why it was like that for our family. Just like how my mom took over his task of providing for the family, he took over my mom's task of caring for the children. It's not bad at all.

My brother, Lloyd, is the most patient father I know. In his three years of being a father to Clyde, he has already learned more complex lessons in parenting that I'm sure my husband and dad has never had. Through him, I learned that being a father doesn't necessarily mean sharing the same DNA but giving the love and care that a father should give his child.

To these dads, I give my salute!