The Prodigal Father

I had been told that today's time mirrors one of a Prodigal Father.

There was a rich family. Then all of a sudden, the father without warning left to a different land. Their he used his wealth in all that he though would give him pleasure. 

After all the money had been spent, he found himself with nothing to eat that he needed to beg for food. He thought of coming back to his family, thinking that he is the father and thus deserve honor and respect from his family. 

But when he arrived home the father was not well received. In fact, his children had considered him long dead.

My papa is a loving father. He is not perfect but he tries to be. My father's mother died at an early age. My father's father remarried and tried to ask my father to live with the new family but he did not like the idea. Thus my father lived with his maternal grandparents.

My father longs for a family, although his grandparents had treated him well. He feels that they were abandoned children as his father had left them to build a new family.

My father today draws strength from that painful experience of abandonment. I believe one of his focus in life is being a present father.

He had opportunities of going abroad but he had not pursued it. Please do not get me wrong, I am not saying that going a abroad is big mistake. I come from a long line of uncles who are seamen and they are loving fathers to their families as well.

On the other hand, I hear stories of fathers who had not left home but are better off absent because of the abuse they inflict to their families. Hmm... There seems to be no perfect position for a father to be.

My mama is one strong of character. She is not perfect but she loves us anyway. I would often hear from mama how he's father had been a father who wants all his children to be always at peace.

My mama is a forgiving woman, although her father had made mistakes in the past in terms of marital affair. And I have heard this dark past of my grandpa rarely. I think I have heard it only once and there was never an elaboration of such story. 

My aunts and uncle never mentioned it too. As if it was a no big deal. I mean surely it is a big deal but the family chose to forgive and bury their father's unwanted past and accept him as their loving father. I believe my grandpa has changed through the unconditional love of his children and his wife. 

My mother's respect for her father had been that of a merciful daughter. I admire my mother's respect for his father. She chose to see love a midst the mistake.  

Your booked for greatness,

Chrislann Lodovice Catuburan