It is the prayer of every good parent that their children live better lives than they did. It is in this light that I write this piece.
A while back I was able to take some time off
to see some movies. Someone introduced me
to a serial titled “Fringe”. Fringe happens to be
a great adventure that blew my mind and
won’t fade off so easily. It showcased a lot of
things I am so interested in, but won’t find in
everyday books. Though fictional, it didn’t fail
to open my mind to a lot of things I’ve
imagined and dreamed of in my growing up as
a onetime science student with deep passion in
the arts. Fringe was based on a lot of what the
common man will call impossibilities.
Before I digress further, I’ll like to state what
is so special about this film that struck me and
won’t make me forget about the film. In one of
the episodes (Entrada, 8 of the 3 season),
one of the lead characters muttered some
strange words that have continued to strike in
my mind daily. The words: “einai kalytero
anthropo apo ton patera toy”. I’ll take it that
you don’t speak or understand Greek, so I’ll
translate that. It simply means “Be a better
man than your father”.
Getting the meaning of the mutterings took me
to a whole new thinking realm, it was just like I
was told something I had never heard before,
and instantly I got this “Aha!” feeling. The
feeling you get when you discover something
you’ve been searching for.
I must let you know that I have nothing against
my own father that will make me go into a
head-to-head with him in accomplishments. If
there’s one dad I’ll recommend for anyone in
the world, it’ll be my dad. Despite his
shortcomings he has proven to be Superhuman
and I love and will always love him for that.
Truth be told, the fact that I love him so much
and he’s a great dad doesn’t mean he’s all
perfect. If each one of us will be honest
enough to look into our individual lives we will
find that no matter how much the love we
have for these parents (Mums inclusive), there
are still some things we wish we could just
erase.
I did a kind of keen study on my dad, I picked
out the aspects I find worthy of emulation and
the other aspects I won’t want in my own life
as a father-to-be. I did all these, not to spite
him, but to make his earnest prayers of us his
children becoming better persons come true.
Our parents tried so much in their growing up
to become who and what they are today. Not
all of them had the opportunities that we have
today. Some of them barely went to school;
some did with a lot of challenges. No
computers like we have now, no internet, no
pliable roads, some had access to electricity,
some didn’t. Most of the luxuries we enjoy
today where not there for them then. Some of
us are tired of hearing tales they keep telling
us, “In my days, I hawked this, I hawked
that…”
It is a pity that not many in this generation
harness the power of all that we have to
ourselves today. We prefer to complain about
everything not going right. Not all of us take
up the responsibility and challenge to push
through the storms we face now and balance it
with the ample opportunities around us. Until
we begin to take charge of the present in
preparation for the future, we might just end
up living in the shadows of our parents’
achievements.
I have taken it as a challenge to be a better
man than my father by avoiding the mistakes
he made along his journey, by emulating the
good and admirable features of him, by taking
on great feats he could not achieve and lastly
by being a father that my children will be
proud of. I would be counted a successful man
when my children surpass me in achievements.
I challenge you today. Be a better man than
your Father (and mother, of course)….

Well done.

andromida: Well done.

Thank you