August 30th

An ode to my father:

My dad's birthday is coming up, so it's got me thinking about him.
He
is a hard worker,
and I know that he would do
anything
for my mom, brother, sister and me.
I remember what I thought about him when I was little:
that he knows everything,
and is stronger and taller than
everyone.
Sometimes he will look at me and say,
"You sure are beautiful."
Both him and my mom are a picture of
unconditional love.
He offers what every dad should:
safety & protection. He worries a lot, and wants what is best for us.



When I think about my dad,
it's hard for me to not think about my friends who have never experienced any of
this.
For Rakesh,
who has only known his father to be
smoking hash and marrying new women every year.
It kills me to think of what he lacks when he lacks a father.
I am so worn out of loneliness,
but I understand that I can't substitute his father.
I can hope that maybe,
one day,
his father will decide to love him, and will see what an incredible human being his son is.
I can struggle with him,
and be his friend when he is feeling
alone.
This world is a hard place to be sometimes,
but it becomes easier
when we struggle
with
each other.