Every month of June, we are seeing a lot of ads online about gift ideas for Father’s Day. Have you thought about giving or buying something for your dad? Maraming “sale” ngayon! Especially right now that online shopping is one of the new norms and will stay for a long time. I’m not suggesting that you add something to your cart, but that you do something for them that’s coming from your heart.
Support
The father is the driver of the family. He carries a big chunk of stress in order for his family to survive. As most dads are breadwinners, supporting him can help him see that his whole family is behind him. You may think about how you can help your father so that not the entirety of the burden is laid on his back.
How about supporting his hobbies, his interests, his business? And if he’s involved in a ministry, he will be very happy to see you become part of it. Find a way to support your father.
Affection
May feelings din ang mga tatay natin ‘though they seldom show it. Natutunaw din sila when we show affection. Masyado man silang strikto, nadadaan din yan sa lambing, especially when they just got home from work. Knowing and seeing that his family is eagerly waiting for him to come home safely is one of his soft spots. Machismo has tender sides, too. This is not to compete with your moms, but dads need affection, too.
Love
Of course, I can‘t think of any words that starts with an “L” that is as greater and as important as “love,” unless you can also attach some “luxuries” and “leisures” to it. Kidding aside, the word “love” can be overused, pero mas kulang naman tayo to show it, especially to our father. Maybe we don’t know how to express it. Funny thing is, most dads struggle with that, too. But it doesn’t matter how we express it. Love can be expressed in different languages, anyways.
Extra Time
Yes, extra time…. More Time. More precious time.
When was the last time you spoke with your father?
I do hope that we take this opportunity to spend more time with our family, especially with our fathers as they are staying at home most of the time during this pandemic. In the midst of trouble and uncertainties, may we see the beauty and importance of family bonding, sticking together, without going anywhere. This can be your healing time, and, maybe, a time to restore a broken relationship. A time to rest and a time to refresh.
A couple of times, the Bible says, “Honor your father and your mother.” If you still have your father with you, please give him the importance and show him how much you care while there’s still time.
And if you are going to give him something, make sure you get it out from SALE.
Michael Joy Laxa, called as “MJ” by his peers, was born and raised in Manila. He’s the eldest among 4 siblings and has a knack for singing. When he was in his teens, he would join singing contests happening in various barangays. Whenever he won, he would use these cash awards to date his girlfriend-turned-into-wife, Novie. Their love for each other had, later on, given birth to two kids, Kim and Waki, now 20 and 13 years old, respectively.
Currently, he serves as the ministry head of Worship / Serve & Go at Bartley Christian Church (Filipino Community). He’s based in Singapore with his family and works as an IT professional.