“My Father is the worst dad ever,” was the thought I had of my Father growing up.
When I told him to leave me alone, as I thought that I could handle it on my own, he still stood by me and introduced himself as my lawyer to the court. I had a car accident, once, and couldn’t get away with the mess because it was, truthfully, my fault. I lost the case.
When I almost got kicked out of school, because of something stupid that I did, he threw me under the bus and encouraged the principal to eject me. I graduated, nevertheless.
When he stopped talking to me, when I hung out with a bad crowd, I wished I had a different father.
Oh I hated him so much when three hospitals couldn’t find out what was wrong with my tummy ache. I recently found out that he advised the last doctor to give me a placebo. The pain immediately went away.
And then I met my husband, by chance, when Dad brought me to the States.
Author’s father, Lody Macatula, and husband, Ricky De Leon.
The day my husband & dad got introduced to each other was when I realized that I have the best of both worlds. It was a magical moment when Dad didn’t intervene, for the first time.
It was also the first time that my now husband felt comfortable conversing with an older & wiser man. And I smiled from a distance.
On hindsight, one of the greatest gifts a daughter can ever receive in her lifetime is a moment, and the moment, when her dad gets along with her husband. Because, for each time my heart was beaten, I’ve always knelt and prayed for my future husband. Well, this has been, thus far, real proof that prayers do work.
And, just like Dad, my husband seems a little bit rough around the edges, cautiously pessimistic, and the Debbie Downer of the family. Beneath this facade, however, are two wonderful fathers to their kids, loving and loyal husbands to their wives, and respectful sons to their mothers. Mom always said,
A disrespectful son is a bad husband.
I am extremely grateful to both of them.
Thank you, Dad, for loving Mom the way you do, literally, through thick or thin, in sickness and in health. Ricky, thank you for being the best provider and the most selfless parent to our kids. You are the rock that makes our family steady and sturdy.
And to all mothers, who act as fathers, I salute you! Hug your dads and husbands a little extra tighter today! Happy Fathers’ Day. ✿
