Every day is Father’s Day

Sangeeta Madaan

ILOVE you my little angel. You are my life. I’m here for you. I’m in you, in your name. Make me shine like a twinkling star, never diminish me, never make me fade, love you cutie!’ As soon as I heard my husband cooing these sweet words to my daughter — just four years old — I went back 20 years in time. The time when, for the first time, my father revealed his panic, and a passionate heart to me as I was going far away to study  and losing their tender shade and care.  To make me strong, to make me bold, my father said: ‘Listen beta, you are an important part of our home, of our life, of my life. Do what you want. I will let you do it. Say what you want to; I will let you have your say. I’m your friend, first. Pursue your dreams. I’m always with you, behind you. I will never let you down. I have given you my name, but it is you who made me perfect and a responsible person. My desire is to live long. Through you I will achieve it. Keep me alive, even after my life is over. Never let me down.’

From that day, my father’s panic-filled eyes always kept me on the right path as I pursued my dreams. They still do. These words are not only a passionate appeal of my father. All fathers desire to seek this promise from their daughters, because Papa dear, the magician’s life exists in their adorable, magical doll whom he wants to protect from all the hardships of life. Even a little suffering of his daughter makes him restless. Such a father teaches his daughter the very first lesson of feminism, contrary to a mother who reins her in, forcing her to follow and understand limitations. Every father wants for his fairy a prince-champion who would care for her and love her. He never warns his daughter, but humbly makes an appeal. He will take on the world, fight with others for his daughter’s rights. A father is truly a wonderful gift of God. A mother gives birth, brings up her child with tenderness, but it is the father who gives the gift of dreams to his daughter, and the motivation, and with it, all the resources he can summon to fulfil them. Thus dreams become a reality. 

I hail to this transcendental creation of God. I bow to you, Dad, for giving me a prince-champion and a wonderful life. 

And so, I celebrate every new day as Father’s Day.