He does not have six packs, he hates violence and he hardly talks but still he is my super hero- DAD YOU ARE THE BEST! - by Pushkala V

Staying away from family is not the easiest thing to do even if it’s inevitable at some point of our lives.  A visit to the British Council Library in Chennai last week gave me the trigger to write this, which I think many of you can relate with.  I dedicate this to my father with whom I visited my first ever library in life- the public library, Cochin. Ever since then I have fallen in love with libraries and books. My interest for books and many more I share with my dad.

              Sometimes being a daughter is the most wonderful and at the same time the most difficult role in life. When I say difficult I don’t mean tough but I mean challenging. In a society like ours where daughters are seen as more of a burden than a blessing, it becomes even more challenging for a girl to prove her worth to her family, friends and the society. But a very few of us are blessed to have wonderful parents who look up to us with proud eyes. They are unable to hide the excitement when they see their daughters taking up the day to day challenges with confidence and poise.

              Like millions of daughters out there, my dad has always been my hero. He is that one individual in my life who has never failed to pamper, motivate and support me. I sometimes wonder how he is able to understand what I want and get it for me even before I ask him. This doesn’t mean I have been raised as a spoilt brat. Despite the fact that I have always got what I wanted, he has made sure that I earn it rather than simply giving it to me. My dad is a voracious reader and he is the one who encouraged me to read a lot even when I was a kid. This has influenced me a lot and helped me get a broader perspective of life and the world. He has been someone who made me realise that sometimes all that matters in your life is integrity and honesty and never to be bothered about others being judgemental about you. He gave me the courage to follow what my heart yearns for even if others thought it as mere eccentricity.

             There is a sense of security I feel when he is around. To be frank, throughout my student life I have never worried about hall tickets, application forms or reaching the examination venue on time. Dad used to make sure that he gets all the application forms filled and never even once failed to drop me to the venue on time despite the fact that he works 13 hours a day. He always writes down what is to be done and keeps a checklist with him to ensure he doesn’t miss out anything. Seeing him do this throughout my growing up years has had a great impact on me. Now that I have moved out of my home and am left to myself to take care of daily chores, I have started keeping my checklist and trust me it works.

            Many parents impose restrictions on their children and don’t encourage them to speak out about what they feel. I have never had a problem voicing out what I feel and think about situations to my dad. Be it my choice of career, my religious views or love life he has been there for me as a patient listener who listens to me crib, criticise and voice my apprehensions. Talking to him prevents me from taking impulsive decisions and calms me down to tackle the problem with an open mind.

                I have heard many girls complain that they find it tough to meet their parents’ expectations and live up to the ‘son image’. But I find it a pleasure because at the end of the day the smile on his face and the pride in his eyes are worth all the trials and troubles. Dad I know that you aren’t good at expressing how much you love me or what I mean to you. I know you aren’t the type of dad portrayed in Bollywood who hugs his daughter and gifts her expensive sports car. But I know how proud you feel when you see me tackle the odds of life with confidence and never say die attitude.

                I don’t live with you anymore and we hardly get to talk and meet each other. But nothing has changed Appa. You were, are and will always be my super hero. I might not be calling you daily but I do miss you awfully. Given a choice I would want to go back to those days when you take me to school in your scooter making me repeat the multiplication tables. I understand you are extremely concerned and worried when you see me living on my own, travelling by myself and take decisions but trust me dad I will never fail because I always have YOU to pick me up and nudge me to go forward if I fall. Love you dad and I so very thankful you are always around to keep an eye on me.