Penny-Wise Pound-Wiser

It’s the third weekend of June, and I’ve been asked, “What’s the best gift you’ve received for Father’s Day?”

I, for some reason, did not approach this question with anything of materialistic nature in mind, but rather what change fatherhood has brought upon my life.

During the ten months my wife was still pregnant with my first child, I was still unsure about how it would have felt like embarking into a such unfamiliar territory, physically, mentally, and especially emotionally speaking. It was on the first couple of days my first-born was ushered into this world, that I began to experience a drastic spin in how I view my future, my worldview. The things that I used to disregard have suddenly taken such significant meaning to me (and vice versa) as I was cradling my baby in my arms.

The next five years rendered both my wife and I, parents of two. How we live our lives now, I would say, did not stray too far from how I had imagined before we became parents. Yet, the biggest difference I’ve noticed, was how I coped with the amount of tension, stress, and exhaustion of being a parent. I am far from reaching what my standards of an ideal parent is, but the me, pre-parenthood, would never have expected to witness my current ability to handle the amount of challenges on a daily basis, and yet still manage to scavenge the energy to soldier on.

We all grow, at different paces. For me personally, parenthood has propelled my personal growth with brutal acceleration. I was overwhelmed with various experiences, both pleasant and unpleasant, just to stay afloat, just to stay sane. It has made me realise that I could be much stronger than I thought I could. And this, is what I consider to be the greatest gift that I have received for Father’s Day, every year. Fatherhood has taught me a lot, and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. It is the gift that keeps on giving.

With that, I extend my kudos to all parents around the world who are working hard and making sacrifices for their children in the purest form of altruism. Thank you!