The caring dad whose shoulders never get tired

I remember my childhood days when dad, mom and we kids used to sleep on the terrace. Life was simple and sleeping on cots made of nylon straps was so much fun. I would sleep next to dad with my head resting on his shoulders. My sisters would sleep next to mom. Sleeping in the open was a common practice in days when our planet was not a victim of global warming. One pedestal fan was sufficient for a family of 5 and by morning all of us had the cotton blanket over our head.

Sleeping next to my caring dad on his shoulders is something that will stay with me forever. Every night he would ask me to recite the tables of 3 to 9 and I would start fumbling by the time I came to 7. As years passed, I realised that the shoulders on which I used to rest my head and count the tables had become my source of strength for the rest of my life.

Every family has a caring dad whose strong shoulders give the comfort of love and security. Dad love to shoulder the responsibility of the entire family with passion and fervor.

A caring dad’s shoulder is the most peaceful place for infants

When all attempts by a mom fail to pacify a new-born, it’s the caring dad who comes into the picture. He takes the baby on his shoulders and sings a lullaby in a tone that will put to shame some of the best singers in Bollywood. But there is something magical in his lullaby that makes the baby go to sleep.

I remember singing a lullaby with self-written lyrics that worked like a sleeping pill for both my daughter and son. I still don’t know what made my kids go to sleep. Was it the lullaby that acted as a pacifier or the warmth of my shoulder?

Going on family vacations to hill stations was so much fun. While parents used to walk leisurely on the mall road, we used to run with all the energy. As a result, when it was time to go back, we didn’t have any energy left to walk to the hotel. The caring shoulders of dad would come to our rescue. He would carry us on his shoulders one by one without feeling tired. Sitting on his shoulders and watching the mountains would make us feel on top of the world.

Dad has to shoulder the responsibility of the entire family

When we are children we are so immersed in school and college education that we never realise the invisible force of a dad behind the entire learning process. It’s a caring dad who ensures that tuition fees are paid on time before the deadline. On the other hand, he opts for the best commuting service for his children. The decision about whether his child would go by school bus or a cab is not based on cost but on the safety factor. He will never compromise on the safety and comfort factor of his kids at the expense of cost.

As children, we never realise the kind of responsibilities a caring dad has to shoulder. It’s only when we become adults, we realise that the job of a father is a challenging one. He works non-stop for 35-40 years to provide shelter and bread to the entire family. He raises his kids along with his spouse. Children’s education and health are priority. Getting them admitted to a good school and college is as important as making them settle with a life partner. On the other hand, dad also has to take care of his old parents, their health and well-being, and attend to any emergency needs, etc.

A caring dad is worlds best trainer

A father’s role is quite myriad from wearing the corporate hat in the morning to a baseball cap in the evening. He is responsible for all the recreational needs of his children. From playing badminton to throwing a ball to his batsman son, he has to be adept in all sporting activity. He enjoys drinking tea from his daughter’s tea-set and loves taking her out for cycling in the evening.

And when the son gets out in a cricket match on the first ball he faces it’s his dad’s shoulders that carry him back to the pavilion. On the other hand, when a daughter loses her balance while riding a bicycle it’s the dad’s shoulders that come to her rescue.

A caring dad is also a careful financial planner

A father takes control of the family car from his dad when he settles in life with a stable job and a beautiful partner. From this point onwards he becomes the driver while his partner becomes a co-pilot. Midway during the journey, they pick a few co-passengers. The journey needs fuel to run and the fuel has to be purchased. And mind it the fuel becomes expensive every year.

The journey has to cross a lot of milestones from kids schooling to a professional degree to their marriage. The more milestones a caring dad covers the more fuel he has to burn. He has to manage his finances in such a fashion that the car never runs short of fuel.

Apart from kids, a father also has to take care of himself and his partner. One of the biggest milestones in his life that he wants to achieve is owning a house. It’s like owning a garage where he would like to park his family car.

At times he may carry his parents on the back seat to take them to a hospital for their medical needs. For their recreation, he takes them to a family gathering or a wedding, or even a vacation.

A caring dad happens to be a great financial planner to fund all these activities.

When its time to say goodbye to dad

The ultimate dream of any caring dad is to see his daughter married off to a life partner. He is nervous and concerned as his daughter is changing lanes and moving on to a new highway, one that has still not been explored. Is her new partner going to be equally caring like him? All through his life, he has ensured that the daughter doesn’t feel the bumps during the journey of life. Can her partner take care of it?

The final goodbye is one where the dad’s shoulder can hide his daughter’s tears. Before leaving she wants to feel the warmth of her caring dad’s shoulders one last time. The father avoids eye contact with her daughter as seeing tears rolling down his cheeks may make her feel weak in her knees.

The father has now taken care of all his responsibilities. His shoulders have drooped but are still strong to give support. He is happy to see that his kids have grown up and are successful in life. Their shoulders have become strong enough to take on new responsibilities. A time will come when he will need the support of these strong shoulders while saying a final goodbye to the world.

You can enjoy reading more such stories on my blog. Click on the following link:

Father the best batsman in the world to play Cricket

The Story of a Dad who has difficulty in saying “I love you the most”