Eulogy

Dear Papa

I know papa, today is your birthday. The day you would slyly evade from all the attention, gifts and wishes. I know that you are in a different place now, I know that we are in a different place now and nothing feels the same anymore. I see, smell and understand the world differently. There are many adjectives in the English dictionary but I fall short of them while describing you today. Nonetheless, You personified kindness, valour, stoicism and modesty for me. You dignified and ingrained the habitual strive in me to perceive that “Means are more important than the ends”.

Honestly, I never understood what grief meant. Now, I look back to the earliest memories of you that I deeply reminisce and treasure. As a little kid, I always remember waiting for you by the door in the hope that I would get “Masala Dosa”. I remember how you would trick me into giving you a head massage in exchange for “Cheetos”. I remember how you taught me long division when I struggled to understand what 2501/7 meant. I remember how you would defend me even when I knew that I was at the wrong. I remember how you always believed in me even when I wasn’t so sure. I remember how you were always so proud of me. I hope that I can always make you proud.

I know you always loved having a good time and you showed me that life should be fun. It was enjoyable to see you relish simple things in life. It was so much fun watching you cook, garden our backyard and fix every broken appliance in the house. I loved your wicked sense of humour which made us laugh and cry at the same time. You told stories which always captivated us and kept us in amusement and awe. The stories about how you had to swim the ocean, sail the sea, fight the crocodiles, meet Aladdin, eat spinach, sing with popeye and finally reach your school.

I miss you papa ….. I love you. You are and forever will be my hero. I hope I can be atleast half the man you were. I wish you a very happy birthday.