My father...my man

I had always wanted to write about my father . I have kept this desire for me for the longest time . Perhaps longer than my desire to teach , to travel , to be amidst children...oh well desires are plenty...So much to do and such little time...has always been the case with me .

I love my father more than the big wide world and back . I know we all love our parents . Yet I feel I have many reasons to feel a sense of pride each time I look back at my dad's achievements , each time I think about all those moments when he made so much sense to me and most of all I just love the way he has lived his life uptil now .

There are many aspects of living . However there is always a thin line between living well and just living . I am sure he has had his moments of ups and downs ; don't we all ? But look at the man even now ? He is a marvel .

I remember when I started college , how I would often beg him to let me drive to college . I was young and silly to a point that I wanted to take the car to college just so that I could give a ride to my friends , go out and eat and all of that . I also remember very well how each time he would refuse inspite of the fact that the entire day the car would just be parked in our parking at home . He always had one thing to say to me . "Majority of India's population travels by public transport and what makes you think you are not part of that " How much I hated those moments . I'd often sit back and cry ; think that he does not love me ; that he puts me through the misery of travelling in Delhi's crowded buses with men pushing , pulling , gaping , staring , touching the moment they get a chance to ...how could any dad to that to their daughter ? That is what I used to think back then . It is interesting how meanings and definitions change with time and age . I value this so much today . It has turned me into a stronger ,braver person and not to forget I carry ,even today many innumerable memories of my bus journeys that have left an indelible mark in my list of good and bad memories -Something I will treasure always .

My father is a living , walking , talking encyclopedia . He says when he was in 9th standard , he was very poor in English . However within a span of 5 years he was chief editor , president of his university , was one of the few who was selected for a Youth Conference to be held in Malaysia , won a scholarship to study in London of Economics and then went on to do his Ph.D , travelled to atleast 10-20 different countries and ofcourse written several books. He also worked in London and then one fine day , packed his bags and came back to India ofcourse for the love of the country on 1/4 th of what he was earning ; joined JawaharLal Nehru Univ. in New Delhi . During his stay in London , he even brought a brit friend( a girl ) to his home just because she wanted to visit India . Oh well , you can imagine the furore that would create in a mildly conservative society that my grandparents were a part of . I just love and admire this quality in him . How many of us would have the courage to do that knowing that there isn't anything wrong in it because your intentions are crystal clear and defined . They say as long as you know you are right , you must go ahead and follow your will and listen to your heart . Very few of us manage that all the time and most of us give up when it is needed the most . My father never did .

A man who gave me a different perspective to religions of the world ; specifically to Islam ; is also the same man who always told me about all the festivals and asked me to wear salwar kurta in the company of old people in the family just to respect their sentiments . And inspite of all this , he always left me with questions that pushed me to search for those answers on my own . Now I understand why he did that ...just so that I could form my own opinions , just so that I would not hold and carry on the same biases or prejudice that he felt he might unintentionally pass onto me .
He is the best blend of progressive thinking and respect for traditions and culture .
He the source of my life . I am so glad that I got a chance to always be at home around him . I have been in awe of him from childhood , was also scared of him when I younger.His presence , at times is too much to handle !
I am often sad at the thought of being away from him . I have dreamt all my life to be around my parents just so that I can look after them . There is always a reason for anything and I have my reasons to be here too . My father is always on my mind and my eyes well up each time he makes me realize the tremendous trust , faith and belief he has in me . A man who I admire the most in my life has the same level of admiration for me - That is almost like a dream turning into reality ! I wish I could ask , beg the man above to give him the longest life possible so that I could make up for all those times that he was away or I was away , for all those bad times we all went through ...but then that would be being selfish . I only ask God to always let him live his life with the same passion , the same enery , to never take away his sense of humour , to let him be happy , content and most of all I pray for his good health and Peace to always be with him .

Cheers to that !