This Posting is adopted from the letter written by Chris Anthony, as published in the NST.
On this special day, I wish ALL FATHERS, a very Happy Father's Day. My father is no longer around, but he will be remembered as he is everyday. To those of you who still have your father with you, cherish him (as well as your mother!)
COME Sunday, it will be Fathers Day. Many of us may be fortunate to still have our fathers with us, alive and healthy. Others may not be that lucky as their fathers may be seriously ill, handicapped or even dead.
On this auspicious day, let us pause and relive the memorable days of our past with our fathers. Let us recall the pleasant as well as the unpleasant experiences we had with him. Many of us are ourselves fathers and only now we understand the feelings of our fathers when they undertook the arduous task of bringing us up to what we are today.
Many of our fathers were not so wealthy to provide us with the luxuries of life. It is not the great material gifts they gave us that we remember and cherish most but their small sacrifices.
We remember the days when, rain or shine, he used to carry us on his bicycle to and from school. We can imagine the sadness in his face when he was unable to give us what we needed.
We remember the smile on his face when we excelled in school, in examination or sports.
We remember the sadness in his face when we left home for the first time to further our studies. We remember the eagerness with which he waited for us each time we return home from college and the elaborate plans he made to spend the short holiday with us.
This is a day to reflect on how we treat our fathers. Are we grateful for what they have done for us? Despite our exalted positions in life, do we still accept them as the respected heads of our families, seeking their advice on all important decisions?
They do not need our money as many of them may not be in a position to enjoy the luxuries of what wealth can provide, but we can spend a little valuable time with them, basking in the memories of the past.
Our fathers may be old and infirm and they may not have much time left. Some of us may even be contemplating sending them to some old folks' home for various reasons. Whatever we do, let us treat them in a manner we will not regret later.
Our attitude and actions today will have a subtle but profound influence on how our children will treat us in the future.
