I wouldn't be here without the most important man in my life; Papa.
He sacrificed so much together with my Mom to give me what he thinks I deserve, together with my siblings. He made sure that I can sleep well, with food to eat, and a comfortable house to go home to, to rest and to live in.
He made sure I had a childhood, and made sure I got good education, so I could face the world independently.
I am proud that even if sometimes we both don't agree on some trivial matters, like how to cook this dish and that dish, where to go first, or what to do this year, the bonding moments are irreplaceable.
He still insists to fetch me if he could, and bring me safely from one destination to the other.
He makes sure I have what I need.
He won't sacrifice my security and company to people he does not know or does not trust.
My fondest memory of being with Papa was when we travelled from Tacloban-taking the overnight ferry to Cebu and then finally touchdown in Cagayan de Oro to meet with my Mom. We did that when I was only eight years old, and backpacking while he carried nothing more than my milk and vitamins in his huge knapsack.
Father's Day Lunch
Papa enjoying his self-prepared home-cooked, medium-rare steak lunch with mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables
He always cooks home-made meals for us, every chance he gets. He is the only one who can satisfy my search for pork sinigang, I got home from college during sem break and told him about how no restaurant in Cagayan de Oro can cook pork sinigang the way I wanted, and he just looked at me as if saying "Told you so".
Most Important Lesson Papa Taught Me: "Make sure there is food, for your body, for your mind, your soul, and always, always, be grateful for what you HAVE. You will be surprised how this can teach you humility. Share what you have, and always remember that material things do not amount to what you need in this world: love, family, friends and freedom."
What I have yet to teach him: Computer encoding and how to log in his FB account just so he can play poker.
What To Look Forward To This Year: Papa and I got promo tickets to Cebu this July to visit Tito Ruel in Ormoc, Leyte and we will be spelunking (without my mother's knowledge) in Samar.
Happy Father's Day, thank you for everything.
