My Personal Idol =p

It’s your daddy’s turn to receive his yearly honors today! Hehe! Since I featured a song for my Mother’s Day post for Mama, I figured I should do the same for Papa. I would use Dance With My Father Again since I love the song anyway. Pero napag-isip-isip ko, buhay pa ang ama ko, hehe. So I've decided to just skip the chorus. Hehe.. =p

Back when I was a child
Before life removed all the innocence
My father would lift me high
And dance with my mother and me and then

Pa, I did some Math and I realized that we've only been physically together for only about 2 years and 11 months. That’s roughly about only 10% of my life. Geesh, that sucks, huh? We must admit, you weren’t there during the important milestones in my life. In fact, I barely have any childhood memories with you. Pero oops, bago mo isipin na ito ay isang sulat nang panunumbat, I want you to know that I will never ever hold it against you for being away most of our lives. NEVER. =) It’s because you chose a better life for all of us. At iyon ang isang bagay na habambuhay kong tatanawin ng utang na loob sa iyo. =p That’s why I love movies like Anak and Dubai. I release litres of tears when I watch them, hehe. Because I remember you. I remember your great sacrifices. I remember your own brand of heroism. I remember your love.

Have I ever told you that you’re actually my idol? Oh so ngayon, nasabi ko na, hehe. You’re good at almost anything! The only thing that I can beat you at yata is English, hehe. I was never the jack-of-all-trades that you are. I actually suck at the things you most excelled at – electronic and mechanical stuff. Well, syempre, naturally, given the age gap, I'm better with computers. Haha!

One of the things I managed to inherit from you is your principled demeanor. You are one of the most passionate people I know when it comes to their beliefs. You're a good person Dad, you really are. And that’s what I love the most about you and Mama. It’s what I always try to emulate from you. I turned up the way I am because of the way you brought me up. You’re like my own version of Jonathan Kent.

Spin me around till I fell asleep
Then up the stairs he would carry me
And I knew for sure
I was loved

Sometimes, I wonder how you do it – to be our father, 7300 km away. Mahirap yun ah. Yun iba nga, kahit kasama na nila mga anak nila, nahihirapan pa, iyun pa kayang tulad mo na malayo. You do it so well, it actually scares me if I’d be able to do the same when I'm a daddy myself. You're the pillar of our family. Without you, the whole structure would crumble.

When I and my mother would disagree
To get my way I would run from her to him
He’d make me laugh just to comfort me, yeah, yeah
Then finally make me do just what my mama said

Anyway, on a lighter note, why do fathers tend to be the spoilers? Hehe, wala lang. I just remember the times whenever I ask things from you. You almost always give them eh. Pero syempre, laging andun yung linya mo na, “Sige, sabihin mo sa nanay mo..” Haha! Kasi nakay Mama yung pera, hehe. One of the best suprises you ever gave me was the very laptop from which I'm typing this piece from. I could still remember that night very clearly. It was during your regular overseas calls to check up on me when I sweet-talked to you for a laptop. Ginawa ko yun nang hindi nag-eexpect. Sabi mo pa nga, “Sige, titingnan ko this week, kung kasya sa budget.” I actually forgot about my laptop request after the call. Imagine my utmost surprise when you call 4 hours later telling me you just bought me my laptop! I was like, “HUWAT?!” Haha! Not counting the fact that this laptop is the most expensive single material you gave me, the surprise that accompanied it was indeed one of the sweetest. Wala lang, alam ko kasi na hindi ka naman namumulot ng pera diyan sa Bahrain, kaya nagulat talaga ako na walang anu-ano’y bumili ka kaagad. Ni hindi mo man lang tinanong ang mga gusto kong specs! Haha! But in fairness, even if you weren’t that much of a computer literate, astig ang nabili mo sa para akin!

So, like my message to Mama a month ago, I would like to say sorry for being such a disappointment just recently. For the many times I cried during my sorry state, most of it I cried not because I was pathetic and helpless, but because I disappointed YOU. If you only knew, how bothered I was when I got the long overseas sermon from you. Madalang mo lang kasi akong kagalitan, and when you do, I know it’s one of those times when I really did something wrong. But despite that, I deeply appreciate the unwaivering support you had for me. Astig nga eh, one moment, you were so disappiontingly mad, the next moment you sounded so sympathetically supportive. Haha! Thank you so much for not giving up on me.

You seldom offer me advice on anything, given our physical set-up. Mama would always be your representative. But on the rare times you do, your wisdom is so priceless. At least I know where I got my I-know-the-right-things-to-say genes.

I know we were never given a chance to celebrate Father’s Day together. But heck, we know that distance has never been an issue in our family. Hehe! We manage to send our love all the way to and from the ricefields of Pampanga and the sand dunes of Bahrain. Happy Father’s Day, Orland Manalo Dizon! =p Actually ito lang naman point ng post ko. Pinahaba ko lang na naman. Hehe.. =p