To my Earthly Father
Today is Father's day. Normally we don't celebrate fathers day... we used to, but as we got older, we just sort of stopped. We used to buy dad socks for Father's day. That's about as amusing as it gets!
Anyway today in church Sam was sharing about his father. Wah lau~ he didn't even start talking 1 minute yet and he started crying... and then everyone else started crying and of course I cried too. I was just so touched by what he said about his father and the relationship that he has with his father. It was so so so sweet! He was talking about his dad making all these sacrifices for him to pay for his musical lessons, for his Japanese tuition, for his exchange trip to Japan and all the monetary and time sacrifices that his dad has ever made for him.
Then it got me thinking about my dad and everything my dad has ever done for me and us. Actually everytime I think about this, I'll also cry because my parents made such huge sacrifices for us. I can only imagine that the decision for them to come to Perth must have been very hard because I know how much dad loved Christmas Island - it was his home, his work and where all his friends lived. And then when we came into the picture, they made the decision to move to Perth so that we could have a better future.
I know the difficulties they had when they moved to Perth. They knew no one, they didn't know very good English, they didn't know the system of how everything works here, they only knew one uncle who kindly let us stay at his house for about a year (?) until we finally had our own home. At the time my mum still didn't born my brother yet, and dad was as hard working as ever and when I think about how hard he had to work and how hard he is still working, it breaks my heart.
Actually at the time when I was about 5 or 6 I can't remember anything at all. This is only from what mum told me. I don't remember my dad having to wake up at 4 in the morning, and having to drive one hour down to Mandurah to get to work at 6am. Then he'd work till 7pm and get home about 8pm, and as soon as he'd get home, he'd eat and sleep and that was his routine... for I don't know how long! I can't remember missing him, and I can't remember not seeing him at all. I can't remember not spending time with him. In fact, for a period of time, my dad went to Melbourne to work for 6 months or so and I can't even remember that either!!! Mum said he was still trying to pull the weeds from the garden even moments before he had to go to the airport.
All I know is that in the beginning, when we came to Perth, dad worked super super SUPER hard for us, to feed us and clothe us, to have a home for us, and to get a car as well. His beloved white Nissan - which we've already given away. Just thinking about how hard he worked and the sacrifices he made for us really tells me the kind of person my dad is and the kind of man I want my guy to be.
I remember when we were young we used to go on a lot of "road trips" with the family down to Mandurah and Albany and Bunbury... up to Kalbarri and Monkey Mia. Dad would do all the driving and he never complained or let mum drive. Those were the cherished childhood times... though as my memory is so bad... only photos help me remember the times!
Even though, on the outside my dad looks tough and mean, and even if he talks with a super loud voice, and it might even sound like he's telling you off when he's actually speaking normally to you, even though he sneezes SUPER loud at home that it echoes through the house and makes you jump, even if he likes to sing karaoke REALLY loud in the house even when we have exams, despite all these things, my dad has a real generous heart and is a really hospitable person.
My dad is 60 next year!!!! That's SUPER OLD!!! And he should have already retired by now, but he's still working hard to support us and working long long long 12 hour shifts a day. It breaks my heart that his working circumstance is like this now, and I wish that he can win lotto so both he and mum can already retire. There is so much that I owe them and wish to give back to them for everything they've done for us and sacrificed for us.
Picture: Taken in Christmas Island probably when I was one years old. My sister, my dad and me!
today...
@3:44 pm