Remembering My Father On Father's Day

The celebration of Father’s Day always evoke fond memories about my father. He was the first Justice of the Peace in my hometown, San Carlos, Pangasinan, (Philippines). He held the position for thirty years. He was a firm disciplinarian but he was a caring and compassionate father. My father was a widower with six children when he married my mother, a public health nurse. He was then 45 years old while my mother was 21 years old. His second marriage produced eight children but three died in infancy. My father saw to it that the relationship between his two sets of children was seamless. He often reminded his children, “all of you have the same family name, you are all my children. You should love one another, help each other and take care of each other at all times. True enough, eleven children grew up harmoniously under one roof until they were able to pursue a career and have families of their own. He was able to bring up four lawyers, a medical doctor, a social worker, three teachers and two management experts.
When my father was weakened by tuberculosis (which I now realized was emphysema) , he confined himself to his room with only the Holy Bible as his reading material. He had the book at his side up to the day he died.
I spent many hours by his side, feeding him, massaging his back and serving as his human air conditioner. I continuously fanned him especially when it was warm and he had difficulty of breathing. In between those hours of discomfort, I read the Bible for him. His favorite books are the Book of Psalms, the Book of Proverbs and the Book of Ecclesiastes.
It was through my father that I have learned to appreciate and read the Holy Bible. I found the Book of Psalms as the source of songs of praise and prayers of lament and for vindication against enemies, and hymns celebrating God’s steadfast love. My father encouraged me to recite from memory, Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”
My father inculcated so many lessons about life from the Book of Proverbs, the most practical and down-to-earth book in the Bible. The insights I got served as my guide for daily living and relationships. One of the lessons I often put into practice: “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, come back later; I’ll give it tomorrow when you now have it with you.” (Proverbs 5:27-28)
The Book of Ecclesiastes is a book of mixed messages. “The Teacher” tried to explore the meaning and purpose of life. He pursued pleasure, achievement and riches but ultimately he came to the conclusion that the purpose of life is to “Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man.”
I remember my father saying to me, “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” I later found out his expectations of me as a woman, when I read Proverbs 31:10-31. I tried my best to meet his expectations but it seems I’ve fallen short. However, I am still trying even at this stage of my life.
Thank you, Papa. That was a long time ago, but I still can see you in my mind’s eye. Kind, loving and patient. It is my fervent desire that my four sons would be as good as their grandfather, as I wish all of them “Happy Father’s Day”.