A Call To Make ‘Father’s Day’ More Meaningful – OpEd
It was good to observe that majority of the population around the world celebrated “Father’s Day” with a spirit to honor fatherhood and their paternal bonds. Every father who read the emotional greetings of their children (beautifully written and shared) on social media was/is making them feel proud for having such loving kids in their life.
But, here are the few things one needs to analyze which will certainly help to make “Father’s Day” more wonderful in the coming years. The things which need to be taken care of for strengthening this bond of relationship with your father are:
Have you ever thought that sitting and talking with your father may give him true happiness rather than sharing the compliments on Facebook or any other application of social interaction? Isn’t it better to present him with a small surprising gift instead of those few emotional sentences?
Children often forget to realize that due to the limited technology orientation their father may not be using Facebook or any other such forums used for a social connectivity through which they have/had tried to extend their feelings on Father’s Day. Has a son or daughter ever done something worth referring to “Father’s Day” instead of sharing those formal sentimental sentences? Have they tried to look deeply into the picture of their father which was especially shared on “Father’s Day” and has brought some tears of happiness or regret in their eyes? Have they ever thought that the comfortable life they are currently living (mainly because of their father’s sacrifices) is far better than the life their father is living right now? Has a child ever tried to explore some of the activities for which his/her father remained excited and happy while he was young and now his child is helping/facilitating him to yet experience those activities while they are getting older?
In some cases, if the father is no more alive, has his child ever paid a visit to sit beside his grave for a few minutes in the graveyard and review all the possible accomplishments which might be a source of his pride in his children? Have you ever tried to let your father know and experience together that thing/activity which you like the most in your life? Have the children ever accompanied their father to watch together a movie of his choice, helping him to find and visit his best friend house, eating the food which their father always loved to eat and taste or going on a long drive or even walk/hike (if he can) to the place of their father’s choice? If not, then start practicing it more often in your life throughout the year or at least practice it on the next year’s “Father Day” to feel the difference.
Deep inside their mind and soul, a father still considers himself young so his children should also try to avoid giving the impression which makes him feel old. If a son or a daughter is listening to music or watching sports then they need not change the channel restricting their father to watch only the News channel, talk shows, or a channel having programs on religious preaching only. It might also be possible that he still wants to participate in marriage celebrations and other family gatherings so his children need not push him towards forceful isolation and assigning him the responsibility to work as a watchman of the house all the time. A child should not detach him/her from the father to a level that he either stops or let himself feel hesitant to discuss the personal and family issues openly with his children.
One just needs to ask the above-mentioned questions and each of the responses they get from their inner self will help them to guide in establishing the link with their father even stronger. The same practice must be followed on similar celebrations honoring the other family members such as “Mother’s Day” and alike.
Although, the way this generation is trying to extend their love and emotions is acceptable to a father for making him feel happy but as a son/daughter, it is his/her responsibility now to choose the best for their dad the way their father has always selected the best for his kids. The strength of all the family relations needs a close bond of connectedness through emotions that seldom require words to be felt and therefore one has rightly said that your actions speak louder than your words.
