To you, on this Father’s Day

It has been fours years since our last celebration.

I remember that day oh so well. I had resumed my studies in London and hoped the plane while you were impatiently awaiting my arrival. It was 6 am when I came in the front door and went straight to your bedroom to kiss you and wish you the happiest Father’s day ever. Little did I know that it were to be our last.

On your special day, we disregarded the usual breakfast tray and presented you with your favorite cake and english breakfast tea. You blew your candle while I nestled into your welcoming arms and started recounting my artistic journey in our favorite city. I vowed to you that I would not leave you in the future. Alas you left me 5 months laters, shattered and void.

Today, while everyone else will be celebrating Father’s Day, I want to take a moment and reminisce our cherished life together and be thankful for the person I became thanks to you.

The last couple of years that we spent together were an eye opening experience and forged the person that I became today.

My love for the art emanated from spending every other afternoon together talking about the pieces of paintings and sculpture around the house. You were the first who saw my potential in painting and pushed me to take classes. You had feedback for each finished painting that I brought back home. Your last words to me were to never stop painting. To that I promise I won’t. I am grateful that you instigated this artistic spark in me.

You taught me that materialistic possessions should not be my first and only goal in life. Yes, you provided me with everything I wished for; the cars, the jewels, the travels yet you made sure that everything I received was in due time and not too far fetched. I never understood until I sat with you and listened to how you became to be the person you are. A self made man that provided for his family and gave back to the community. The latter who respectfully closed shop the day of your funeral and till this day, when mention your name, bow and almost always say; there will never be someone like him.

I came to fully grasp the enormity of your presence in our community, as a descendant of the Armenian Genocide. For me, you were my father. For them, you were a benefactor. Your school alone gave opportunity to so many children to get an education. I love you for setting the example. You have set the bar high and I am aiming in achieving it as well, at my own pace. Do you know that I am volunteering and giving back to the community as well? Children who aim at creating some arts and crafts. Yes two birds in one stone dad.

I don’t believe that I thanked you enough for your wisdom and for being my role model. You were right about everything. You gave me the right tools to navigate this life absent from your physical presence. I have become the woman that you always knew I will be.

I am going to follow on your foot steps and forge an impact, the way you did. Because I love the feeling of giving back and seeing the smile and gratefulness in their eyes. In just anyone’s eyes. Just like you did.