Dads my hero!

So I wrote this piece a year ago as a celebration and acknowledgement of father figures around the world, enjoy the read!

To a little girl, her father is the first example of a masculine figure in her life. The way he treats her mum is the way she interprets how a husband would treat his wife and subsequently the way her husband would treat her.  And for a little boy; his dad is his hero and an example of who he would one day grow up to be. However not everyone has the opportunity to grow up having the comfort and care of a father. And some are mentally and emotionally tortured by abusive behaviour between parents and are even subjected to physical abuse.

So who do we acknowledge on Father’s day? And is it only for the select few who have a caring father in their life?

A father figure isn’t always your biological dad. It could be a dad, a grand dad, or a step dad, a brother or uncle, a best friend or community leader or spiritual adviser; it could even be God or your mum. Whoever has been a masculine figure in your life, a person who has inspired you to move forward, encouraged you to work towards your goals and let you fall; knowing that it will motivate you to climb higher. Remember that a mother figure will want to care and protect her children, so she will prevent the child from falling, even if that fall will make them bounce back higher, simply because Mothers never ever want their kids to experience pain or hurt.

If you are a man, your father figure will inspire you to work towards your goals while exhibiting your gentleman like qualities. He is the one who teaches you to be courteous towards others and respectful to women.

If you are a woman, your father figure is the one who teaches you to acknowledge your worth and only allow worthy men to be in your presence. He is the one who also teaches those men how to be worthy of a lady and how to identify a lady like woman from the rest. He is the one who encourages you to strive for your best and be independent to be able to take care of yourself but also allow the right man to be there for you. 

So whether you have a father to celebrate this day with or grew up being exposed to abusive parents and your father has not been a good role model for you, there would have been a form of an ideal father or masculine figure who motivated you to be who you are today. Acknowledge that person, even if that person is you who played that role for yourself. Be happy and celebrate!

Happy Father’s day to all dads and to all father figures who have been the masculine inspiration to others!