REMEMBERING DAD

Everybody is greeting their fathers, Happy Father's Day.

I admit I am envious and sad because my dad is no longer with us. He returned to his Creator four years ago. I miss my dad so much. He had always been my tower of strength, especially when and after my mom died.

So many things and valuable lessons I learned from my dad.

I have very beautiful and vivid memories of my childhood with him. I remember he meticulously cut articles and pictures from newspapers and magazines that he deemed would be useful in my school projects and painstakingly compiled them. I always got excellent grades in my school projects because everytime my teachers assigned a project to us, all I had to do was go over dad's clippings and true enough, I would find what I needed there.

I could still picture in my mind the beautiful red and green lanterns that we hung from our windows come Christmas time which he himself made.

He would take my brother and me to watch Holiday on Ice and the Circus at the Araneta Coliseum everytime they came to town. We would also take our annual pilgrimage to Antipolo every summer.

I became exposed to his favorite sport, basketball (which he plays very well) and became familiar with the likes of the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Harlem Globetrotters, etc.

My being prayerful was greatly influenced by my parents. They instilled in me my Christian values. My dad recited the rosary everyday, all 20 mysteries of them till the day he died. I pray the rosary too everyday, but unlike my dad, I only recite the mysteries for that particular day.

I also inherited my dedication for work from him. He would never absent himself from work and would only take the afternoon off because he and mom had to pin the gold medal on me during commencement exercises in school every year. These lasted from grade school till my college years. I know he was very proud of me. He would also let me keep my tuition fee refund everytime the list of scholars came out, so I can use it to buy whatever I want.

Today is no different from the past four years, because once again, I will not say Happy Father's Day to you, Dad. I certainly am far from being happy because of the vacuum that was created in my heart when you left to join Jesus and Mama Mary. But I will never be devoid of beautiful memories and even if you are no longer around, all I have to do is look back and that vacuum will once again be overflowing with beautiful thoughts of you. You will forever live in my heart.

I miss you Dad and I love you very much.