Here are some other Father's Day posts from around the blogosphere:
Andrew:
Whatever happened, I hope he knows I've not screwed up badly in life and I don't blame him for anything that happened in the past.
vandice:
爸，您为了我们奔波劳累了那么久，也该休息了。过两年我就毕业了，让我扛下这个家吧。
Kenny Sia:
It's common practise for us kids to call out "Pa chi, Mi chi" (Dad, eat. Mom, eat) as a form of courtesy to our parents when we have our dinner. The day after the wake, I broke my own heart when I called my father to eat even though he's no longer around.
It's been 7 weeks, and I still miss him.
Rebecca MacKinnon:
I'm not sure what my life would have been like if I hadn't grown up with a fabulous father who has always been present and actively involved in his childrens' lives.
Huileng:
Anyway, that was a no action day for my father. I hope he does not feel unwanted! I know what, I will go and buy him some durians later.
Anthony:
Make no mistakes. I love my dad to bits. He's just very...undemonstrative. Were he a Roman, he'd have rised through the ranks with great ease. So when I got off the phone with him after talking to him for a full 15 minutes, I was surprised to say the least.
Adrian
At age 20, bedridden and broken with no recovery seemingly in sight, I saw my Dad cry for the first time in my life.
Lancerlord:
My Dad by Paul Peterson (.wav) Happy Father's Day, LancerDad.
mrsbudak
I can't remember much of my dad today. I only remember the pictures he took with me. In the pictures, he seemed to be very proud of me, while I would either lie in his arms or sit in the pram, looking very grumpy all the time.
Last week, my dad gave me a list of songs and told me to go download them off the information superhighway. The list he compiled contains all sorts of obscure songs which he vaguely recalls listening to as a boy. As a result, most of the title and artistes are totally wrong.
Only people who have lost people really dear would've grasped it. The Tragic Calling Of Absent People. It is customary for Chinese funerals to require the Eldest Son, or the Firstborn Son to head the most important ceremonies during the wake and funeral. This includes, -whenever the urn or coffin requires moving- calling out to him or her, "Daddy! We're Going To The Burial Site Now! Follow Us Closely!". Or "We're Crossing A Bridge Now! Hold On Tight!". Chinese people believe that the newborn spirit is weak and gets lost easily, hence the need to shout for them to locate your voice as you move and they try to follow in the netherworld plane.
The day we were supposed to collect his body for the funeral, I stayed back in school with my then best friend to finish up our art project. I didn’t tell anyone about it and I didn’t want to go home. That’s how I missed my dad’s “closing coffin” rites. I remember bawling my eyes out in the bathroom when I realised my mistake. My 2nd sister brought me to his coffin to ask for forgiveness. Even then, I struggled to call him Dad. He was my Lao Fu Zi for way too long. Much too long. But it was too late, perhaps.
My niece was barely 3 months old then. She is now in Primary 1. It’s been that long.
I just hope he’s in a better place now. “Papa, wo yao jie hun le. Xi wang ni bao you wo men… Xie xie…”
Happy Father’s Day.
I am sorry.
