The proverb, “God could not be everywhere so He created mother” is one of my favorite. A mother’s love is virtually impossible to be described, for nothing can come close to the love that a mother has for her children.
It is a fact that there is No Substitute for the love and care of a mother in this world. However, the ordeals a responsible father from a middle class Indian family undergoes cannot be ignored.
Here is a heart touching poem written by my colleague Mr. Henthai Phom, which rekindled my memories of all the pains my father and mother had to undergo to make me what I am today. I hope this poem will inspire and touch you all in the same way it touched me.
MY FATHER HAD A DREAM TOO
I was born on a cold January night
When I could perceive things
I saw my father building his house
Taking all care; collecting all materials
Laying brick by brick, cementing them
And there stood what we call’d HOME
Then he bought his old car
He loved it. Rode it on Sundays
Drove us to school; rode us to fields
He loved servicing it
It was a part of him!
I went to school
Learned A B C’s
He was happy when I could spell ‘DADDY’
He started dreaming dreams about me
He no longer dreamt of building house-
And buying cars
I was his dream
I went to college
Started wearing jeans; he stopped buying new formals
I wore snickers: he wore slippers
My demands grew; he began to withdraw
I grew fatter; he became thinner
I became ambitious; forgot I was his dream
I got job
Married
Had children
I built my own house; bought cars
Started dreaming dreams about my children
But Alas! My father had a dream too
Perhaps he might have wanted a bigger house
Buy the latest car in fashion
Have fridge and a color TV
Watch his favorite team play football
Perhaps his own park
Perhaps his own school
Aya! Did I eat his dreams?
Did I live his dreams?
I forgot my father had a dream too
(T. Henthai Phom)
