The Story of My Dad

Since it is Father’s Day, I’d share with you an interesting individual in my family – my dad. As a young boy, my dad and his family migrated to the Philippines. Being a native of China, settling here proved to be harder than imagined, even for the young boy. Many times he would recount to us of how it was like to know only his native language in a Tagalog and Spanish-speaking country. He was the constant subject of incessant jokes and endless pranks. Fortunately though, the bullying finally lessened when the very same students who made fun of him discovered his skills in Mathematics. “They were actually begging for my help!” dad recalls proudly every time he tells us of that story. Eventually, the young boy would grow up; enter high school, even college, and later on graduate with a degree in Engineering. Job opportunities then started to knock on the boy’s door. One by one though, he had to turn them down. He had to man the small retail store his father had started. Without a word, he had obeyed, despite realizing the fact that he had just let go of a lot of opportunities for himself, including his dream of going abroad to pursue a career. “Besides,” he had thought, “this would be the best for everyone, including my younger siblings who are still in school”. As if everything wasn’t unfair enough, Life just had to throw more stones along the path. The already thriving retail store that my dad had been asked to continue had to suffer destructive misfortunes leaving him and his family with barely anything to live by. Two hellish fires burned down the only source of living for the family. Although no one had gotten hurt in the incidents, the family of seven could only watch the flames hungrily engulf the store that had once supported them. The young lad who had helped a lot in its growth watched helplessly as he realized that all was lost. It would also be this same sense of helplessness that would push him to join the volunteer fire brigade, which he later held office. After the fire, they rummaged through the wreck and managed to find some things worth a few bucks. They started from there and with enough determination, were eventually able to rebuild what had been lost. It would still be years later when his and his family’s efforts would finally pay off when they saw all three younger siblings graduate from top universities. His younger siblings eventually got job opportunities in different countries leaving him with the store that he had taken responsibility of. He could only admire happily at his younger siblings’ life abroad as he realized that somehow they had made his dream of living a life there come true. To this day, the retail store that my dad had helped rebuild is still open to its many customers. As one steps inside the familiar place, one would find the man who had once been the boy who went through a lot and gave up a lot just to be able to give to others a little bit more.

This is the story that my dad loves to tell us whenever he gets the chance. I don’t mind that I’ve heard the same story countless times before. It has always served as a window to my dad’s past, allowing me to see what he had been like before and what had made him into what he is now. It has served as an inspiration to draw strength from, a lesson to learn about and a chance to understand him better. More so than anything though, it is a calling to repay the same kindness and unselfish love that he has willingly given because a person like my dad surely deserves it.