This must be the best 60minutes of my entire conversation on Skype. Correction.
I think it's the most rewarding and very rare investment i've done with time .
Time as many has put it- cannot be earned, but it's the way you spent it that counts.
Dad-husband, father to five beautiful children, pilot, filial son, loving brother and a friend who looks out for the other. Knowing the heart of a man is gold. Not just any man i say, the heart of a father. The heart of a brother, he looks out to fend for himself and maybe sometimes come to check on his family. The heart of a sister, she's interested in her self-esteem, her desires, her dreams and many unsearchable things. The heart of a mother, she nurtures, cooks, cleans and makes all things pretty.
About fathers, how many fathers can you find in this world that's so similar to your own? Look no further my beloved. My father and your father may play similar roles, but they are certainly special in their own ways.
On the 2nd October 2010,the skies were still dark and not a sound in the hall. *ring ring* the Skype's video call notification blasted through the silence. It's him-my daddy.It started with the you know casual chat. Hi how are you? What time is it there now? So how's your studies going? Then it came to the question where most international students (mostly Malaysians i think) have to decide if Australia is the place for them for good. And so the conversation developed into matters of the possibility of staying abroad for good and chances of getting sent back to Asia . But beyond these things, many began to unfold as we talked and talked.
It was the heart of a daughter , her troubled life of a final semester uni student. She dreads the already sky-high assignments mounting on her to-do list. Her mind races through the train of uncertainties for her future. To stay or not to stay in Adelaide. Her emotions were like waves of tsunami , churning as time ticks away. Then tears welled up in her eyes as she narrates how she was at the verge of giving up on this last league of varsity life to this man's heart of gold. He listened and listened, never once did he budge in to provide solution. The wonders of men is that they love to provide THE solution to everything, they want to feel significant that they are able to do something for you. Okay so maybe i exaggerated it too much, not solution to everything, but to most of life crisis i suppose. Little boys all pray that one day they will be the hero to a madame in distress. Oh that one day will come i tell you.
It came for her dad. After emptying the all her worries to him, he crack into a wry smile. And he did what the majority of men on earth would do-Solution to the lil' missy. He shared his fair share of experience from his time serving at the air force to workforce in Nigeria, South Africa. Boy how she nods in agreement as she listened intently. Her eyes still fixed on him, not disturbed by the subtle hint of tiredness in her body at 2 o'clock in the morning. Never have she heard so much from his heart, the utter truth where no books written even by the best authors in the world could capture the essence of this man's life's story. He's like this ever so freshly blossomed flower in a field infested with nothing but weeds. Instantly, she knew it was God that has drawn this man out of his pit of dark shadows.
It didn't take too long before the both of them were in tears. Life is sure hard when you try to be hero on your own. He thanked God that His blessings are upon his life, his job and most importantly his family. Never did he once as a little boy dreamed of flying overseas, not even a thought of sending his two beautiful daughters to study abroad. Work smart and play hard he did. Getting into the positive encouraging circle of friends he did. Strong blows of discouragement came and he took it like a man. And where this Captain is now, is truly to God's glory that he is blessed beyond men can ask. Yes he is not perfect, who ever thinks perfect is best has never really appreciate the strengths and weaknesses of others.
So how many shiny gold bars did she get from this man? Not even one, but that night her weary heart got light up brighter than the shiniest gold star you have ever seen. His precious time spent on his daughter was the most precious gift he could have given to her. A father who is constantly away from his family, just to be here talking to him, even a mere one hour out of the twenty-four he has in a day, is simply GOLD.
So I've learnt that you must a vision, but dear you have to work on your short term goals. Most definitely, my goal now is to complete those sick assignments and GRADUATE ! *throws imaginary graduation hat in the air*
Be strong and courageous girl, you are so much more than what meets the eye :)
