My Funny Tatay



I am one of those lucky children who can proudly say that I got my father by my side all my life, he never missed any milestone in my life. He was there whenever I needed him when I was a child and always to the rescue whenever I need some advice as I grow up and though he's kinda weaker now because of his stroke, he is still our handyman and funny tatay.

All my friends and cousins call him the same way I do, which is 'tatay', a Filipino word for Dad. My tatay and I do not have that perfect father-daughter dynamic, though my inay and I love him sooooooooo much, he can be stubborn at times and we fight, as in loud fights, but, I think we're just that way, we like getting our emotions out and then just be cool again after all the backs and forths. After all, we love each other no matter what happens.

I would like to believe that I am a well loved child, a well loved person, because I have a very lovable and cray cray family. I have my very reserved mother and a very loud and funny father, but the three of us together will always be a little bit of cray cray, wherever we go, we pack on the cray! haha. Is that enough cray cray for you in one cray cray paragraph?? LOL.

My tatay, though, can also be very unpredictable most of the time because underneath that very happy and jolly personality is a very deep man. He always thinks ahead, he analyzes every problem, he's probably the most logical out of us 3 sometimes and he's very caring, sweet, loving and an all around father. Whenever I need something and nobody else can help me, I just know that I can find a solution when I get to talk to him. My tatay is a great problem solver and adviser, though as we all know the great advisers can sometimes be the worst follower, and that's my dad. He's stubborn, he's loud but he has a very big and kind heart. He had his own share of mistakes and shortcomings but one thing's for sure, he loves us very much and now I can say that I'll never doubt that ever again.

I remember the time when we were struggling in life and heaps of bills would come at our small rented apartment's doorstep before, my dad will always go out assuring us that he will find a solution to our problem. He might take the whole day going around to find money and stuff but he always goes home at night and when he does, he has the solution right in his pocket plus a very delicious pizza or barbecue. He really is a provider. He's the kind of father that can never even think about his family having nothing to eat for dinner, he always provides. And so now that our family is doing much better, we already have our own home in the Philippines and we are now residing in another country, he's still the same guy. He is a little bit weaker because of his stroke, yes, but he still manages to give us comfort and love and care and he can still be our very own all around and wise guy. He is still tatay. And, he might be body weak, but his spirit is strong; his will to fight and his faith is unparalleled. He is not the perfect father, but he is my father and for me, he will always be the best one.

And I really do love him sooooo much, even if we fight and all. I could still not imagine life without him when I go home from a long day at work. I find the simplest comfort by just lying down on our couch with my head rested upon my tatay's big and soft tummy while he's patting my back to sleep. That's really all I need. The simple things are always the best.

And, my tatay is the best. Happy Father's Day, Tatay!! ;)


-J

 

this ones with my mamay(right photo)  ;) I miss him so much!