WHEN I GROW UP

When I grow up, I will build my mum a big and beautiful house. She will not lack anything. I will try my best to repay her for all her love, and goodness to me.

She lay her whole life aside for me, to serve me, protect me, guide me and ensure that I grow up into a responsible adult. I must say thank you in the highest forms I know.
This, I tell my dad who is busy on his phone, probably working as usual.
Uuuugh! Can’t he just spare a minute so that we can have a meaningful conversation? I know he’s busy but he can’t be too busy for me, can he?
I take a seat near him and watch as he continues scribbling numbers on a piece of paper.
His glasses are sitting on the tip of his nose. His eyes seem weary. The veins on his hands are screaming fatigue. The scarce white strands of hair don’t betray his age at all.

An old photo falls on the floor and I am quick to pick it up. It’s a picture of a one day old baby being held gently by this same young-old man. Years have gone by, I must admit. That young baby, is now a 25 year old woman.
The strong hands that carried her then are feeble and shaking, hardly holding a pen. Years of toil and service to ensure that I lacked nothing of everything.

The man behind my smiles. The fuel of my achievements. The stronghold of my life. He took a great part in raising me. He protected me at night from the big storms that raided our area to the big and bad “Simba” in the bed time stories he narrated to me.
Whenever I had an issue and called mom, she was so quick to say “Ongea na babako.” And true to his words, he always came through.
As the head of the family, he made sure that we never lost direction.

He who wore the same pair of shoes from January to December so that I would wear ten more in the same span of time.
He who had sleepless nights so that I had enough of mine in the house he provided.
Whenever he went before God, my name would come first before his. All the good things he prayed for me, the heavens answered.
If I tell you prayer is the highest form of love, will you raise one eyebrow and give me that look?

Fast forward to now, I just want to say thank you to my father, the one who took care of the hospital bills from the day I was born to any time that I fell sick, the one who enabled me to get to where I am right now.
Thank you to anyone who played a father role to my life, too. You are not forgotten.
Much emphasis is kept on the mother which is understandable because she carries a baby for 9 months but let’s not forget the man who helps her through the whole journey and never leaves her side. The one who she leans on in case things get too heavy for her.

A father.

So I take back my words.
When I grow up, I will build my mother and father a big and beautiful house. They will not lack anything. I won’t try to repay them because I cannot, rather I will go through thick and thin to make their lives better, like they did mine.
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY, FATHERS.