I always wanted to talk about my late father. He’s such a great man and it’s a shame I didn’t get to know much about his philosophy in life in his lifetime. I know it’s because I was young and all but still I wish I had spent more time with him.
This is my father~
He’s the guy on the right, standing next to another guy in front of the Ministry of Transportations, Post, Telegraph and Telephone (Formally) Qatif branch. Back in the old days branches and even main buildings of ministries were rented houses thus the small space. If memory serves, Dad told me once that he worked at the post office since he was 14. He used to write/print documents. He continued to work there till he became the supervisor on P.O. boxes or something (don’t know the term in English but it’s امين الصناديق in Arabic.) After +40 years of service he retired.
It’s only in the past few years that I realized father was more open-minded than other Saudi fathers. I mean, I knew some girls who couldn’t go out because their fathers wouldn’t let them. Dad, on the other hand, never ASKED me where I was going nor when I’m gonna come back. When I think about it, it seemed more to me he trusted us so there was no need to ask in the first place. He also never mind my nor my sisters’ choice of hijab/abaya. He even encouraged Mom one time to wear the abaya on the shoulder since it’ll be more convenient for her.
He also welcomed any source of technology and new inventions in our house –except for the internet XD I guess because it was expensive at that time but he did come to me one time wanting to view a local website… so yeah~
One memory that’s still stuck in my head is when I was eating lunch with Mom and sis one time and he came and began to tease us like he always do :P So to make him stop I stuffed a spoonful of rice into his mouth and he was really happy munching it up XD It was the first/last time I fed him with my own hand :*)
My father had lots of habits: he loved to collect stamps and his books library is just amazing. He was also interested in family trees in Qatif and after his retirement he visited people and talked to them about their families. He was a walking encyclopedia when it comes to the city and its people. Mom is also knowledgable in this field but not as much as he was~
I really want to talk more about my father but I don’t know where to start from. I kept editing this post, revising it with my brother and trying to write something coherent but I guess it’s kinda hard recalling memories from +4 years. I’m going to end this post here and maybe follow it with a second part later.
4 comments
Modidoody says:
March 1, 2011 at 1:09 AM (UTC 3)
may his soul rest in peace in heaven
he seems to be a great man ,, it only took me seconds to realise so since he is the one who raised you :”)
loosing someone like a parent is truly hard and ma shaa Allah u seem to deal with it fine, may Allah bring you back with all of the ppl you love in The Paradise :)
straycat says:
March 4, 2011 at 1:27 AM (UTC 3)
@Modidoody
Thank you <3
Well, I lost my big brother just 3 years before losing my father and I kinda learned how to cope with the situation :(
What really hurts at such times is how people/family members try to get at you and even take advantage of the situation! I saw it with my own eyes and still can’t believe some people will sink to that low.
Thank you for your kind prayers. Amen to that :D
Hopeless Poet says:
March 19, 2011 at 8:57 AM (UTC 3)
I’ve lost my father in 2008 so I can relate to the post. The thing with parents specially fathers, is that we feel they will live forever! My father was sick in the last 2 years and it was getting worse by time and he kept reminding us that he is not gonna live forever but in my mind I was saying come on you are gonna live long .. I am thankful for dreams because he visits me often ..
Allah yer7amhom
straycat says:
March 19, 2011 at 11:57 AM (UTC 3)
@Hopeless Poet
You said it. However in my father’s situation, he was healthy. His death was a shock not only to us but to everyone. You can imagine the situation at the time. I’ve only found solace in the fact that both he and my brother didn’t suffer that much before their death…
May they all rest in peace.
Thank you for stopping by~