My Dada…

Here I was, just at a wedding, enjoying myself and at the end of the ceremony was the "Kanyadaan" ? giving away of the bride or "Wopsoon Divnche", and funny that I am, tears started endlessly thinking back to 3 years in time, when it was my turn.  As I stood there watching the elders go about it, I saw that most of the members of the family were consoling the mother and I turned to look for the "Father of THE BRIDE" and there he was inconspicuously crying to himself…. I could not but stop myself and said it’s okay uncle she is going to be around.  One of those moments where I realized that DAD’s are often left unsung…

So here I make my first attempt ? I sing a tribute to my Wonderful Father !! He isn’t a rocket scientist or a doctor neither is he distinguished or recognized in ceremonies.  My dad simply known as "Robert Uncle" to many drivers, of all castes, and religions all walks of life.  I was fondly known of course as uncle’s daughter and can’t even begin to tell you the array of vehicles I arrived to school in!!

When I got married and relocated to Kuwait, the one thing I missed the most was my walks with my dad.  These started when I was in school, and we had too little to pay at times for buses or other means of transports.  When my dad would fondly hold my hand and suggest that he would tell me a story and we could walk home. 

Looking back, I would not trade my childhood for anything!  I still remember him playing PIED PIPER with animals, even the most ferocious looking animals dogs, cats… infested, wounded or just aggressive would whimper when they saw him.  Many are the times when he has bought home a wounded animal and tended to it, fed it and then they return of course just to the call of his voice…amazing I say !!

When we speak of passing away, especially of our parents, do we honestly really think they leave us? Don’t they just pass from themselves to us? For the birth of my second child, I had both my parents here.  I still cherish those wonderful moments when days before my EDD, my father would hold my hand yet again and take me for walks, this time of course for more pleasant and happy reasons.  I still walk along those same paths reliving those beautiful moments that nothing can take away from me.

I am a die hard fan of Big B ? Mr. Bachchan, and the one thing my father has instilled in me is ? leave no stone unturned for anything that you want in life.  It was my sincere desire to meet with Mr. Bachchan, for nothing else more than saying that I admire him.  I approached my dad who is currently in Mumbai to ask him if he can get his autograph for me and he replied "do something that he will want your autograph", so here I was stumped.  But I went ahead and wrote to the BIG B, and also mentioned what my dad said ? and to my immense surprise, I now have an autographed picture of both my kids Shaun & Reanne and a letter telling me that my father is a wise man.

Having said all the above, I must tell you that growing up, my dad was a very difficult to please parent.  All my life I struggled excelling at cultural activities, public speaking, theaters and academics.  But my practical dad always turned around and asked me what housework did I do?  He pushed and pushed and made sure I was never complacent and excelled at whatever I did. 

I am going home this summer to be with my parents, to be a child again, this time taking home two of my own, just to see them interact, mingle and make magical memories to cherish for a lifetime.

Today, I struggle and strive to give the same legacy to my children, which is why my darling Son sings "Itni Shakti humain de na data…" I thank the Lord today for blessing us with parents, people who sacrifice themselves to live for us, in a special way to my Darling Father ? MY DADA…

Author: Tina Miranda- Kuwait