This post is personal as it is for celebrating my father’s 50th birthday. In doing so I want to delve into the question of what a father is and how the word’s meaning is perceived by us.

The meaning of ‘father’, is mainly defined, I guess by the love a father gives to their children and how he makes them feel safe from the cruelty of the outside world. This definition, to me, is a true one, however, I am not satisfied with this answer alone. I must think deeper about the word ‘father’ and try to understand why it makes me smile. I know that I cannot explain the feeling of ‘father’, because I myself am not a father yet, so trying to conceptualize it is futile, but understanding the love I have accumulated for my father since I was a baby until now could help me understand. My father has given me infinite love and has nurtured me for many years. He has taught me to break through obstacles. In this way, he takes on the role of a loving life coach. 

Regardless of my perspective of him, what I love about my dad is his humour, love, and the nurturing qualities he has for all his family members. He makes my heart feel warm and comfortable in this cold world. He instills me with the strong qualities of discipline and commitment in my life goals and the long paths that I have to venture on, in order to reach my potential. I, of course, cannot claim that all fathers are like mine, however; mischievous, warm-hearted, composed, intuitive, intelligent, and most of all, expressing love in small ways that can often go unnoticed if you don’t know him and his quiet ways of displaying love to his family. 

I find his acts of love to still be so profound because it is expressed in daily minuscule acts; by being there for me when I need his support through stressful times and giving me words of encouragement just so I can feel the rise of courage within myself.

The meaning of father can be portrayed by any of these explanations, and still, I wonder if this is enough to conceptualize a love of a father because deep down in my heart I know that words will never be enough. Maybe if I give more fictional concepts I will be able to convey my gratitude for him. For example, his leadership qualities can be portrayed as a king in a castle, or a lion of his pack and his heroic qualities are that like batman who fights crimes and protects his family and those he loves. While these examples provide some clarity, the meaning of father and his qualities can be viewed as a kaleidoscope that is constantly changing to suit our needs.

I will say this though, beyond a doubt, that this father of mine is really something else; because to me, he is everything: he is the universe, a lion, batman, and most of all a professor who teaches me to rise when I fall, and to love with his whole heart just like he does.  

Fathers and Sons love each other plenty. Just like a mom and her children. Yet you never see them proclaiming it. It’s an unspoken pact, like a friendship just waiting to bloom.

—— ChildInsider.com