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Weekly Question #4

What valuable lessons have you learned from your father?

I have learned a lot of valuable lessons from father who is an admirable man for me. These lessons I have used in my life many times over and these same lessons are what I try to teach my children.

• BE PUNCTUAL. Papa worked as an employee of the Subic Naval Facility in Olongapo City. He has an acute sense of punctuality unlike the other people employed in Philippine companies especially in government offices. Why? His bosses are part of the United States Navy and there are no such things as late or tardy in their vocabulary.

• BE COURTEOUS. My papa is a contradiction of sorts. He does not really fight back with words. As a matter of fact, we have an ongoing family issue with his siblings but being the eldest, he hasn’t spoken harsh to his younger siblings. Yet. When he got very sick and they didn’t even bother to see him, he just let them be but I know he is deeply hurt. If he likes you, he will regal you with stories about his work and his thoughts. If he doesn’t like you, he won’t even talk to you nor look at you even if you are within his vision.

• As much as possible, TRY NOT TO REMIND OTHERS WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR THEM IN THE PAST. He financed a big part of his sister’s education. Now his sister is saying bad things about us. Did he ever tell her in the face what he has done while she was studying, religiously giving a part of his earnings for her expenses? No. But he is patiently trying to control his temper, that much we can see.

• WORK HARD. Yes, he worked hard. Graveyard shift sometimes, for bigger pay. He traveled1.5 hours to work and another 1.5 hours going home, traveling daily just to go to work. His hard work paid off when he got promoted several times. His American bosses used to go to our home to ask him to accompany them to buy fresh fish from the fishermen.

• COOK FOR THE FAMILY. He has been the official cook in the house, as long as I can remember. When he got very sick two years ago, we thought we will lose him but thank God he got well. But he has lost his enthusiasm to do this chore anymore.

• BE YOURSELF. He has no pretensions. He doesn’t care if his relatives are laughing behind his back when they talk about him not attending their get-togethers. He doesn’t want to deal with them so he won’t face them with pretensions of wanting to be with them. Even if they talk bad about him.

There my friends, I introduce to you my father. And oh, if there’s one thing I don’t really admire about him is he spoils my children, especially my youngest daughter, Tania.

That was what he did for me too, bringing home Marvel and DC comics (what his bosses have discarded after reading, lol), red, crunchy apples, sweet oranges, candies in cans and chocolate bars. That was when some or many(?) children my age have not had the chance of getting these things. Circa 70s here in the Philippines.

Papa, thank you for everything. Hang in there. We love you and we respect you.

Happy Father’s Day.

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