“You don’t have to be all that strict. You are just a woman who would pursue all suitors away because of this your strictness. Be careful oo, else, you may end up doing life alone”. These were the words of some adults in my family to me because I decided to adopt my dad’s disciplined and strict nature, but here I am, being told to drop it because it doesn’t suit me as a woman.
I wanted to tell these adults who spent most of their younger lives with my dad as their guardian how much influence my dad’s impact in their life made them turn out well in life. No jokes here. One of them would see me and say, ah! Your dad is very strict oooo. In fact, when he was younger and he was stubborn and non-challant, his mum would take him to my dad for proper training, and he would return home many days later as a good boy.
He further said, the reason he turned out well was because anytime his mum threatened him to report to my dad, he would cry, beg, and turn a new leaf immediately because he knew what would come for him. This man told all these stories the day he brought some gifts for my dad.
My dad, for most of my life, I’ve known him to be highly misunderstood. They term him “a wicked man” because he wouldn’t allow himself to be used for their personal gain.
One of the many situations was an adult whom he had been training from a very young age. He trained him through school and registered him at a fashion school when he decided to go into fashion, and my dad paid all the required fees.
Things were going on well between them until this man impregnated his girlfriend mid-training, and he further expected my dad to continue to train both him and his pregnant girlfriend which my dad refused. There and then, he said, “My dad didn’t want him to grow in his life, and that’s why he decided not to sponsor him anymore and feed his girlfriend”.
I am not as strict as my dad, however, I inherited a little bit of it, hence, it is hard for people to take me for granted because I don’t even leave the space for it. My dad taught me to not stay where I am not wanted with his actions, and that has been with me forever.
He taught me time management in his words and actions. He is only an artisan, but with a very strong will to make sure his kids turn out well. He taught me the impact seeking knowledge, and the need to know a thing about everything in case there’s a need for it. He taught me that atimes, you need to be your own strength because you may not have people around you all the time.
My dad, though strict on the outside, is very soft at heart. The day I saw him cry, I couldn’t withhold my tears knowing that I was the reason he cried. From my dad, I learnt that trying to please everybody will only land you in trouble that you may be unable to wiggle out from because eventually when they are done with you, you’ll be on your own.
My dad’s kindness has been taken for granted many times, but he would say, “whatever it is, don’t let their bad behaviour turn you to a bad person. The best you can do is walk away when you can’t take it anymore rather than pay them back in their own coin cos that’ll only make you become like them”.
My dad is a very strong man in prayers, and he imbibed that in us. Even though we were stubborn, he made sure that all his kids turned out knowledgeable in seeking divine help and blessings in our endeavours.
Indeed, not all heroes wear capes, and my dad is a hero I really want to award with a cape of lifetime enjoyment.
Here’s my entry to Inleo prompt for today. You can find the details
hereImages are mine.
