Celebrating Fathers

Dear father,
Thank you for being the best father l could ever ask for and l certainly look forward to starting
a family of mine someday. Teaching us how to be happy for those who have gone ahead of us
in life and to be obedient put me in check. I believe in the power of being brave and courageous
because of you. Becoming a leader and taking charge has nothing to do with age. If it is upon
you to lead, then you take a position. As l have matured in age and wisdom, I have come to
realize how important it is to listen and to take instruction seriously. This grounds you in the
fear of the Lord.

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About My Father
Growing up, I had assumed that every child had had the same experiences as me. I had no
idea how much I was shielded from, until the coming of age exposed brutal truths that shook
my faith in family life and showed me how it affects our understanding and behavior in our
daily lives.

As a young lady, l saw my father taking full responsibility for the family. He was
your typical father in-charge kind of man. I had never experienced neglect and abuse until l
was old enough to understand what that meant.

I come from a big family majority of whom are girls. I must say we all got to a point where
we all thought that each of us was our dad’s favorite. We came to the realization that our
father treated us with the same level of love and respect and that we were all special.
Especially the girls. I have come to the knowledge that women who grew up with loving
fathers are different from those who did not. My understanding of a father is one who
protects, provides, cares, and loves.

For every child, we need to have a feel of this experience. Once, my late brother came to talk
to me about his girlfriend and l was concerned about the detail of her behavior. The first
question l asked him was, “Is there a father figure in her life?” He told me that her father left
them when they were young. I was really sad for her and her family because l know the
importance of a father figure in a girl’s life. My biggest worry for every young lady is realizing
that you could have a father and not experience his presence. And yet, you could have a
father and experience both his physical and emotional presence which is very vital. I have
and can’t fully express the extent of how rewarding it is.

It seemed the most normal thing in the world. Girls to women weren’t allowed to dream
about stepping out of their predestined roles. I can’t even begin to imagine what our
grandmothers had to deal with and put up with yet they took on the hardships of
undervalued with such quiet strength and grace. These qualities are what kept homes strong
and thriving.

My father grew in a polygamous setting. That was the era where having male children was
considered a great privilege. It elevated a father’s status. Having female children didn’t spark
that much excitement because girls weren’t seen as valuable human beings. Our role in
society seemed to be conditioned to just domestic responsibilities. We were to turn out
exactly like our mothers and their mothers. The cycle was designed to keep women in docile
attitudes.