Thanks, dad. We turned out awesome.

Dad, the quiet strength behind our family. Don’t get me wrong, mum is plenty strong but dad has his own way of getting things done. While mum has always been the more extroverted one (“I’ve had to talk for both of us,” she told me when I was younger), dad has always been the one to meet every challenge with a huge grin. Literally. His initial reaction to everything is to grin.

He laughs whenever I achieve ’emptiness’, gripes about my spending then helps me out anyway. He sends me links to stuff I’ll never read, then gets really excited when he finds out I’ve been keeping myself updated anyhow (PRISM, Turkish protests and GMO foods, anyone?).

At dinner, he gently admonishes me for eating too much, then takes my teasing about the time he ate char kuih teow and curry mee in one sitting. He tells us not to buy him stuff, but looks pleased whenever we do anyway.

Taken pre-Jean Mei’s signature!

He tells me not to pay for dinner, joking that it’s his money so essentially he paid for it. But he is happy when I tell him it became my money when he gave it to me, and I’m choosing to spend it on him.

He refuses to get a data package, saying it costs money, but will call whenever I text him. He won’t get bigger shirts, but will happily accept the ones we buy for him. He asks me to go running with him, but will take me for a huge breakfast afterwards.

He is always busy, but always has time for my nonsense (for example, me texting virtual high fives with way too many emoticons).

He doesn’t bother me to get married, doesn’t place any demands on my time. He doesn’t force me to study what doesn’t interest me, and doesn’t wonder when I’m going to take over the family business.

When I was younger, mum told me, “Do you know why your dad doesn’t have any friends? It’s because at the end of the day, after he finishes at the office, he can’t wait to get home to you.” That about sums up my dad. As long as the family is happy, clothed and safe, that’s all dad really cares about. Why else would he have gotten me that tank of a Hilux? 😉

So mum and dad, two sides of the same coin and together, I think they look pretty good 🙂

Happy Father’s Day, dad! I love you!

Family