I am not ashamed to say that no man I ever met was my father’s equal, and I never loved any other man as much. – Hedy Lamarr
—–
NOTE: This post is written both in Filipino/Tagalog and English.
Para sa aking poging-poging Tatay,
Buwan ng Agosto taong 2008, ang araw na bumago ng buhay ko. Yun yung araw na naaksidente ka.
Nasa unang taon pa lamang ako noon sa kolehiyo. Bilang panganay mo, ako ang naging tagapagbantay mo sa ospital. Lima pa lamang kaming anak mo noon. Isang taon palang ang bunso kaya naiiwan si Nanay sa bahay.
Buwan ng Setyembre. Inoperahan na ang nabali mong binti. Nasa klase ako nang kasalukuyan kang nasa loob ng ‘operating room’.
Pagdating ko sa ospital. Halatang umiyak si Nanay.
Muntik ka na palang mamatay.
Pitong taon matapos ang araw na iyon, ilang beses ka pang nabingit sa kamatayan. Yung puso mo madalas nang pumalya dahil ang kulit mo at ang hilig mong uminom.
Pero, patuloy pa rin ang pagpapasalamat ko sa karagdagang taon na ibinibigay sa iyo ng Diyos.
Sabi ko nga sayo noong kaarawan mo, ang buhay mo ang pinakamalaking biyaya ng Diyos sa akin.
Isang malaking pagpapala sa buhay ko na kasama pa kita. Naipagluluto mo pa ko ng inihaw na bangus. Nagugupitan mo pa ang buhok ko na ayaw mong paikliin. Nasasabihan mo pa ako ng ‘Ingat. God bless.’ pag nagpaalam ako sayo na aalis na ako.
At higit sa lahat, nasusundo mo pa ako ng motor mo, alam mo kasing hindi ako sumasakay sa motor kung hindi lang din ikaw ang drayber.
Ipagpapatuloy ko ang panalangin na patuloy ka pa naming makasama.
Hanggang sa ihatid mo na ako sa dambana at ibigay mo na ako sa lalaking nakakuha ng iyong tiwala.
Walang makakahigit sa iyo, Tatay. Wala.
Ang iyong panganay,
Rosema
—————————
To my handsome Father,
It was August 2008 when that fateful day happened. A drunk motorcycle driver hit you, badly.
I was just a first year college student when that happened. As your eldest, I took the responsibility of being your aide and company at the hospital. You only have five children during that time. Because your youngest is just one year old, mother have no choice but to take of him first.
Come September, you went under the knife to fix your badly broken leg. I was in my Psychology class while you’re inside the operating room.
When I arrived, it was obvious that my mother cried.
Little did I know, that we almost lost you.
Seven years after that day, you have been in numerous near-death incidents. Your heart keeps failing because you’re just so hard-headed that we cannot stop you from drinking alcohol.
Because of that, I ceaselessly thank God for the life that he gave you.
Just like what I said to you on your birthday, “Your life is my life’s greatest answered prayer.”
It is such a huge blessing for me that I still have you. You can still cook my favorite grilled milkfish. You can still cut and trim my hair that you never wanted to cut short. You can still say ‘Take care. God bless.’ to me before I go to work.
Most of all, you are still there to fetch me with your motorcycle. Because you know that I am afraid of riding motorcycles, unless the driver is you.
I will continue praying for more years for you, Tatay.
Until you finally take me to the altar and give me to the man who have gained your trust.
No one can ever take your place, Tatay. No one.
Your eldest,
Rosema
In response to Blogging University’s WRITING 101 Day 9 Assignment:
Day 9: Reinvent the letter format
Some might say a post in the form of a letter is trite and overdone. But when done well, a letter can tell a great story or get your message across.
Today, write your post as a letter. Approach it in any way you’d like…
How’s your relationship with your father?
Can you relate to my letter?
I would love to hear it from you.
~
Very beautiful, Rosema! 🙂 Thank you for sharing this!
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Thank you for reading it, Arpita! I am actually crying when I wrote this. 😀
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I can sense that. It is an honest letter. Cherish all the moments you spend with you family, which I know you do. It is the most precious thing.
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I can’t agree more. 🙂 Thank you again, Appy! 😀
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Lovely and wonderfully written! Best wishes to your dad, and family too 🙂
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Thank you! Thank you so much! 😀
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You are welcome 🙂
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So sweet. Ibibigay mo ba ‘to sa kanya? Hehe
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Uhm. Hindi ko alam. Haha. Pero kaya tagalog ito kasi para maintindihan nya! haha
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Very touching Rose. I have tears in my eyes.
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Oh. Thank you for reading it. I am actually crying while I wrote this. 🙂
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Dear Rosema,
This is a heartwarming letter 🙂
Your wisdom and love for your dad shines through this letter 🙂
My relationship with my father was difficult in the last decade. It has improved a lot. He has been a key influence on my spiritual growth.
Love and light ❤
Anand
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Oh. thank you for reading my post and for your unrelenting kind words. Thanks a lot!
I hope your relationship with your dad with get better and better. 😉
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I hope so as well 🙂
Thanks dear 🙂
Anand
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You’re welcome, Anand! 🙂
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🙂 🙂 🙂
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A very touching letter. Written with love and a couple of tears in there I bet.
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Excatly! I really cried when I wrote this. Thank you for reading! 🙂
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The relationship with my father is non existant. He decided to o when I was a baby.
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Oh. Every man can really become a father but only few can become a DAD. Sorry to hear that.
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Its ok. Im glad in a way, because my mum did a pretty good job bringing me up. It wasnt great all the time but in the area that I was brought up in, it wasnt uncommon to see single parent families. x Im thankful for the family I have. It is his loss!
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I salute your mom. And your finale statement says it all. I have heard a lot of irresponsible fathers who regret what they did during their life’s final years.
Kudos to you and to your mom. 🙂
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Thank you friend x
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You’re welcome! 🙂
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This is so lovely 🙂 Warm and very thoughtful.
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Thank you for the visit and for reading, JAcqueline. 🙂 I hope the two languages doesn’t bother you. 😀
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No not at all. I sometimes dot my writing in my native language too 🙂
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That’s good to hear. 😀
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[…] tlizzy15m ago […]
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Heart-felt words. Beautiful.
My relationship with my father? Wish it were better, as you have seen in my post today… When I was younger, I envied children with loving and doting fathers. As an adult, I’ve accepted that it’s not the kind of father-daughter relationship that’s written in the stars for me.
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Thank you for reading and for your kind words.
I think no words can ever fill that part of yours. But I admire that you were still able to be such a fun and loving woman. 🙂 Unlike some who dumped their lives and blamed it to those irresponsible fathers, you have chosen to be stronger and better because of your situation.
Before I admire you as a writer, now I am admiring you as a person. 🙂
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Oh, Rosema. Thanks for your kind words. I’m speechless 🙂
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You don’t have to say anything. 🙂 I am just stating a fact. 🙂
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Gorgeous post. It is wonderful that you and your Dad are so close. He sounds a very good father,who is always there for you. 🙂
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Hi there! Thank you for reading and commenting. Yay! Your words are such delight to my writer-heart. 🙂 Yes, he is indeed. 🙂 I’m his eldest but forever princess.
Thank you again!
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It was my pleasure to read such a wonderful post 🙂
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Oh. That’s just so heartwarming. Thank you again! 😀
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🙂
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Very sweet and honest. Beautiful letter, Rosema! May he live long and prosper! 🙂
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Aww. Your words are just so sweet, too. 🙂 Thank you so much!
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Such a beautiful tribute to your Dad. Mine is great too but no way I would ever let him cut my hair or drive me on a motorcycle! Not to mention the cooking. He is got other qualities though 😉 Many blessings to you and your fam!
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Aww. Thank you for reading Estelea! I think my dad is some sort of jack-of-all-trades. He is in fact a better cook than my mom! 😀
I am so glad to hear that you have a great dad to! Cheers to all the awesome fathers!
🙂
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That’s very sweet. I don’t have any daughters. I do have two sons, though. I wonder if they’d write such a beautiful letter in the same circumstances. I have a feeling that on the day I returned from the hospital, they’d look up from the briefly from the television and give me a heartfelt, “Oh, you’re not dead, then?”
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That made me laugh!!! We’ll. I think daughters are just more ‘showy’ of their love to their dad compare to sons. Though your sons will always look up to you in a better way that any daughter. 🙂
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Yes, I think they do care about me in their own “I’m-a-cool-teenager-who-shows-no-emotions” way. 😀
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Truth! I have read a lot of novels that sons are just really discreet on showing their love especially to their dads. But mind you, when they get older it is you who will be their greatest role model. 🙂
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I hope so. Er… given my love of doughnuts, I hope they don’t look to me for health tips, though.
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Oh my. You’re like my dad! Haha He’s just a sucker of anything sweet!
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That is undoubtedly the sweetest letter I have read. I love what you told your father on his birthday. You’re incredibly lucky and blessed to have him and I am sure he appreciates everything you do. I have a loving father too who constantly worries about us but I often take it for granted. Your letter reminded me that our parents are our biggest gifts.
Here’s to fathers! 🙂
Cheers,
Tx
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Those are just the sweetest words. :’) Thank you so much, for reading and for the comment. I almost cried again. Haha.
I am indeed so blessed to have him and I am super happy that you have an awesome dad, too.
They are indeed our life’s greatest treasure. 🙂 So we should not forget to make them feel how much we love them. 🙂
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Very true! Thank you! 🙂
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You’re welcome my dear. 😀
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Haha funny title. It made me think about my dad too. Sigh. I’m also a daddy’s girl 🙂 He will be really happy to read this. Enjoy every day that you spend with your dad. 🙂
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Thank you! I think you’re the only commenter that noticed my title. 😀 High five to all of Daddy’s girl! 🙂 I am so happy to hear that you also have a great relationship with your dad. I bet he’s a great guy, too. 🙂
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Yes, yes he is. He’s like my superhero. 😀 Your letter was really touching Rose. I really hope you can give it to him.
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Aww. Thank you so much. I am a bit shy when it comes to my dad. I am not a bit showy. Haha. And when I express love I usually cry. 😀
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Haha true. Same with me. I’m really emotional when I express how I feel. Lol.
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(sigh) I though it was just me. What a relief. 😀
Hey. Have you checked our additional task on Day 11 assignment?
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Not yet. I just came from work 🙂 I will check in a little while. Thank you 😀 btw, so how does this nomination goes? When can you post the sticker on your side bar?
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Anytime! You can post it now. 😀
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Yep, I agree that this was such a fun and original title that showed the love and dedication you have for your father, and yet contrasted with the more serious parts. I lost my dad when I was 11-he could be wonderful and horrible and wanted to end his life so I can relate to your pain of almost losing your dad and dealing with his death wish–in his case because of his alcoholism.
You are able to love your dad for who he is and yet I feel a wistfulness that you wished he didn’t drink and do all the things that drink made him do.
I especially love this line: “Most of all, you are still there to fetch me with your motorcycle. Because you know that I am afraid of riding motorcycles, unless the driver is you.” I see this as a metaphor for what a father is supposed to be–someone who is there for you and who lets you know on some level that everything is going to be all right when you’re scared. I wonder if this is a wish of some sort, because I know from personal experience that alcoholics are not always there for you when you need them, in the way you need them, even though they mean to be.
Maraming salamat for opening your life to us.
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Oh my. Reading your comment brought back tears.
Just to clarify, my father is not really an alcoholic. Not an ultimate alcoholic, I guess. He’s not an everyday drinker of sorts. But yes, I wish he would just stop.
I am sorry to hear that you lost your dad at a young age. I can’t imagine how I will be able to accept that if I am in your position.
I am the eldest among six siblings. Our youngest is just four years old. That’s why I kept reminding my father that please take care of his body, not for me because I can handle myself now. I have work. I can independently live. It’s not that I don;t need him. It’s just that my youngers siblings need him more.
Thank you again! I guess you are a Filipino, too? 🙂
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Sorry about the misreading of your father’s drinking, and thank you for your kind words. I’m not Filipino, but one of my boyfriends when I was in college decades ago is.
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That’s totally fine. 😀 No worries. 🙂
Yay! Really? Filipinos are quite romantic. Is he? 😀
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Hugs xx
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Truly beautiful piece.
When I saw the picture, I laughed because our dads look very similar, although we aren’t Asian. I’m so glad you have such a close relationship.
I’ll pray that he’s able to leave the alcohol behind; it comes between loved ones so easily.
Hugs,
Casey
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Thank you for reading and for sharing your thoughts, Casey. May I see your dad, too? 😀
Let’s hope that more dads will quit alcohol for their families. 🙂
Thank you again! 😀
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A very interesting post Rosema ~ I admire the way your love and loyalty to your Dad shines through every word 🙂
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Aw. Those are just so sweet John. Thank you for the visit! 😀
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