This past Sunday marked a special day for many men out there;
Men that have made a decision to cherish one of the greatest gifts of life…men
that have committed to the blessings and sacrifices of fatherhood.
On Father’s Day, Twitter was buzzing with tweets about
absent fathers who failed to recognize and be present in the lives of their own
children but instead of shunning those men, I preferred to celebrate and honour
the men who have taken responsibility in the lives of their children.
My father has taught me many things from changing a light
bulb to making the perfect cup of tea but his greatest lessons are given from
the way that he lives a life full of commitment.
Commitment to follow his heart – My father has taught me
that you should never fear to follow your heart no matter where it might lead you
or whether or not people might find you unworthy. You set the bar for which and
who you are worth to have in your life and heart.
Commitment to your passion and aspirations- he has showed me
the benefits of being greatly learned rather than being merely educated. My father
has reminded me that hard work and being driven by your passions and
aspirations can lead you to a life that no education can ever give you.
Commitment to morals and values- My papa has always reminded
me that the basis of every great person is a strong moral and ethical code of
values. Every decision is made with him being true to himself and his faith.
Commitment to growth- My father grew up in a pretty
conservative, strict household but he has been committed to the idea of growth
in his perceptions of the world. He has taught me to remain open-minded to the
ideas and opinions of others especially those differing from my own to allow
personal growth.
Commitment to leading- my father has always committed to
living a life of leading by example and empowerment. He has encouraged me to be
self-reliant, empowered and a true confident leader at heart.
Commitment to accepting mistakes- A life with no mistakes is
a life that has not been fully explored; my father has often humbled himself to
apologies whenever he was wrong. He has taught me that accepting and
apologizing for your mistakes is one of the greatest tests of character.
Commitment to picking oneself up from failure- My father has
taught me that failure is a bittersweet facet of life. The quicker you
recognize and accept your failure, the quicker you are able to pick yourself up
and learn from it.
Commitment to fulfilling promises- My father has never
broken a promise; he has taught me that you should never promise anything that
you will be unable to deliver.
The greatest commitment my father has ever made is the
commitment to living each day to the fullest- He has taught me to live present
in every day, every emotion, cherishing each person, moment and memory gifted
to me.
The one thing that I have learnt in life is that greatest
lessons should never be selfishly kept from others. Therefore I encourage you
to seek the small lessons and pleasures of having a father in your life and
cherish all the moments given to you because it is in those moments that you
can find happiness that will leave you only content.
