from daddy's little (grown-up) girl

If there would be one person in my life that I rarely talk about, it is my papa. Ironically, he's one person who occupies a big chunk of my heart.

Perhaps, through the years as I was growing up, I've learned too accustomed to a "no dad" at home. For 13 years since I was nine, my father was away. He was an Overseas Filipino Worker in London. He works in one of the posh hotels there. He has already learned to speak like the Brit, or else , according to him, they won't understand. =) He was a very good provider and kiddingly according to my mother, he loves his kids more than he loves his wife. At the best he could, he was doing "remote parenting".

Needless to say, I am my dad's favorite. I knew it eversince. Or perhaps, I was just lucky enough to have spent the most time with him as compared to my siblings. For nearly half of my life the memories I have were with Papa. He was the one who was rearing me when I was a young girl. We were together for 2 years or so in the province when he thought of putting up a poultry. He taught me how to read, to cook chicken egg by simply putting it on top of steaming rice,and pray before going to sleep. He was the one who patiently takes care of me whenever I would be sick. I hate having a fever when I was younger since I always get nightmares, but each time I would wake up, I would see Papa beside me and I would be fine just snuggling closer. I learned to enjoy the bookstore beacuse of him. Sometimes we'd sneak from mom to visit a bookstore where he'll read and read, while I attempt to read and later play. (I now can stay in the bookstore to read and read, hehe) He knows how I look forward spending Sundays with him. We'd go to a zoo, a park or just stay home and he'll prepare a feast.

However, sometimes when life's realities start to bite, decisions although tough are needed to be made. In the years my Papa was away, yes, a void was created and left at that. But no matter how much the pain may have been for spending a long time without him physically, I know that our love is much more enormous and powerful to redeem the hurt.

They say that the bond between a father and the daughter is special. I believe so. There is just such this understanding that only the hearts learn; a language that only the two of them speaks even without words.

Pop, Happy Birthday and Happy Father's Day too. I owe you a lot. =) I love you more than words can say. Get well soon and take good care of you.

Hugs. Tighter hugs. Mwah.