Just Passing By

(Dadey continued.)

I think it was in college when I wrote Dadey a letter telling him that as a little girl, I thought he was Superman. He can do anything and fix anything. When something was broken around the house, he fixed it so that it was better than new. When I scrape my knee after a fall, he’d wash it and blow on it when he puts betadine so that it doesn’t hurt as bad. He would often convince me that having a band-aid was cool. He was also very strong. He would walk with me and Arcee riding on either foot. And boy did his spanking hurt!

Then I grew up and he wasn’t as tall and imposing as I thought. Little by little, I could see that he had weaknesses too. I would run to him with my problems and he couldn’t fix them for me anymore. (When you’re an adolescent, you’d think that you’re the only one with the gravest, biggest problems.) All he could do was be there for me  but I needed to solve them myself. Besides, he was growing old and not as strong as he used to be. When he gets sick, he’ll be sick for days.

Fast forward to present. Dad’s been retired for more than a decade now. He dabbled with his own business for a while but folded up when it started losing money. Now he stays home most of the time, watching tv, when he’s not tinkering with his bikes in his shop in the back or not working in his farm in Magalang. He often tells me how helpless and useless he feels, now that he can’t provide for the family anymore.

But I wanted him to know this: Dadey. you’re not useless at all. You are there, providing all the support we need as we go through the lives you prepared for us. You’re always a phone call or a text message away, making us see the lighter side of things; reminding us we’re big enough, strong enough to get through the rough times. I still am convinced that you’re a superman because even when all your superpowers have gone, and you can no longer shield me from the harsh realities of life, you’re still there beside me, holding my hand. And life is not so bad after all.

Dadey always said, “you’ll never outgrow your need for your parents”. He was referring to himself when he says that. He’d tell me that he would still go to his parents’ tombstone when he needs to sort things out. I agree with him. I don’t think I will ever outgrow my need for my Dadey.