Appa by Prakash P

Written by Prakash P

Assignment for Creative Empowerment Batch 1, 2021

 This is a story of a Father and his son, the relationship between us. The reason for who I am today is because of my Father I would say. (I call him Appa.) So, from the time I was born, my father has taken care of me very well as most fathers do. Though I wasn’t fully aware of the things he did for me until I was in a stage to understand what my father was trying to tell me or what he was doing or probably I was trying to understand the circumstances around him. But, I would hear a lot about him from all my family, relatives and his friends. 

My father is such a good adviser, again like most of the fathers do. At the age of around 10 is when I realized that my Father was giving me advice on life, of others’ life, from what he has seen or the beauty of the change in others’ life and expecting the same beauty of change in my life too. He never realized that for me the advice which he gave from others' lives or the stories that he told me about others, it didn’t make any sense for me because I was not able to relate or see it. Though he used to narrate it very well. But, What I could really see is my own father’s struggles in life. His life. The values which I have learned from everyday life around him, the lessons which I learned by the way he used to carry himself in different situations. 

From what I have heard of him from my mom, relatives, and from what I have seen. He started working at the same age when I realized that I was getting advice from him. At 10. I can’t even imagine how miserable his life would’ve been when he was supposed to be studying in school, playing, and enjoying his life like any other kid at that age, while he started supporting his family. From a gardener to a farmer and from a table cleaner to a cook, from a heavy vehicle to a car driver, from an ordinary man to a good family man and an inspirational father. My role model! 

He was scared of taking risks in life just by thinking it would put us at risk. I don’t know if taking that risk would have done any better than we are today. 

When I was 10, I realized he sacrificed his childhood to support his family being the eldest son. When I was 15, I realized he had sacrificed clothes just to buy us new ones. When I was 17, I realized he sacrificed his sleep to buy a piece of land for us. Those were the days, for almost 2-3 years I could see him only on the weekends while he was asleep on a week-long day and night of work. When I was 20, I realized he sacrificed a meal or eating outside no matter how hungry he is, just to save that extra penny to buy us food or snacks. When I am going to be 25 tomorrow, I realized that he has sacrificed all his life just to keep his family happy. My family members would thank god for keeping us in a state where there was no more though there was never less of anything. But, I would say it’s my father. One and only him who can do it. It’s all because of him. If one believes in rebirth, I would pray to God to make me his father and to give back for whatever he has done to our family. To give him the childhood he deserved, to give him the food he loved to eat, to buy him the clothes he would have been longing to wear while passing by the stores looking at it, to give him the time to explore this world. Because the present life is not enough for me to give him back. By watching him I have learned so many things in life. He wouldn’t have given us plenty of every materialistic thing but he has given us plenty of hearts, he has taught me to love by the way he loved his family, he taught me to help by the way he helped his friends even in his hard times, he taught me to offer the unprivileged people when you know you’re better than them, he taught me to listen to others sorrow by giving your shoulders, he taught me to believe and trust in God by the way he prayed, he taught me to seek happiness in others happiness and most of all he taught me to hide the unbearable pain and give whatever you can to others by just putting a smile on the face. These are the things which I try to carry forward in my life and don’t wanna forget it any day till the end of my life. No matter where I go and what this life has got to give me but for one thing is sure that I’ll never forget where I came from. 

He was and is my true inspiration. Which I don’t think he would have realized till date. I feel so proud. Love you pa! 

Mom is never less in any matter because if she wouldn’t have been a pillar to the main pillar then nothing would have happened the way it is now. 

I know friends whose fathers had left them behind and went abroad not to get what they needed but to fulfill the needs of their family, to give their children good schooling, clothes, and shelter. It would’ve been not only hard for their family members to be away but also for him to be alone without family to look and share after everyday work. In some of the other ways, our parents have sacrificed so many things just for us. So, what I would like to say is always respect and give them the love they deserve. I think that’s the only thing they would expect from their children. 

Thank you!