My Father, The Dreamer

My Father,
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[Ptr] JAIME, SR., is a Man-of-Dream. He should be named after "Joseph The Dreamer" not me. He neither hobnob with Kings or Pharaos of Egypt nor had interpreted omens in Dreams, but he’s being man of duty, humility, diligence and determination [san his temper, frowning and love for onions] are all inspired by the Biblical Josh. (Oh, he is also a copycat of his two sons, - gorgeous, :D
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But his childhood and prime of youth was ugly. A by-product of a war-torn clan, he was denied, or rather robbed of schooling. Academically my Tatay maybe short but talking of dreaming and/or serving his family & community, the poor man stood-out.
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He's damn good at trade w/c doesn’t obliged much thinking. With beefy muscles toned in the province' farmyards, he could defy the toughest of river and stiffest of mountain for our chow (aka food). He won't mind getting wet, soiled or bruised. He's the man!
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As a young boy though, I’ve learnt a number of his pains, sense some of his fears and saw a few of his cries while he dotingly provides. When I (& my 5 sib's) grew older, our basic needs also grew and loom-fast like that of Jack’s beanstalk. So he had to abide with the slaveman’s motto: “Turn the Night into Day, the Day into Night”, otherwise we, the frantic ducklings of his will miss the chow for the day, and the ff day. He would risk his life and limb so we could receive and live..

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The Dreamer,

Decade later, my father quits an underpaid job and applied for then infamous Saudi. Armed with only scant knowledge, he was Illegally recruited. While his overseas dream crashed, his hard-earned money disappear. The crook, that soul-less crook behind the scam also vanished in the thin air. Yep, the swindling took away his job & penny but not his passion in dreaming of a better life for us. So from selling the crappest of health-product in the streets to running an obsolete tri-cab to nailing a neighbor's house, he amazingly pushed our way to College.

I was a University Freshman when he was "promoted" in a Bank as Toilet & Floor Hygiene Manager by actually scrubbing/mopping 'em all by himself - this after coffee servings & other related errands. Had he knew the typewriter or computer, he'd probably be sitting among the white collar workforce in the bank's executive chairs (yeah, he dreamt of corporate too) but to no avail...

When Dreams come True

Each & Every misfortunes or what he called "trials" deter him not from weaving dreams. Decade later, his vision and ambition materializes one after another atoning his past incompetence and flops. We got Scholarship. Earn Degrees. A License. A rewarding post. Bought a House. Drove a car. And another decade later, his extra dream came true. - WE rode the world's top Plane and conquered the beauty of West, Mid-East & Asia. He's been to Canada and South Korea. The rest of us to U.S., Japan, Singapore, Hongkong, UAE, Oman, Iran, Taiwan, Qatar, Thailand et.al.,

For a once helpless and on-the-breadline household like ours, who would imagine we'd one day walk in those splendid destinations w/c remain "a castle in the sky" for many. Half of his kiddoes are now raising theirs in snowy lands. Half bound to follow. In this light let me congratulate my Tokyo-based Sis [Phine] for passing w/ flying color her Managerial Exam in Connecticut,USA and for my Dubai-based sis (Bing] for obtaining their Canadian Immigrant Visa joining sooner our eldest sis in Calgary [Gem] and my older bro in Toronto [Jojo].

My father the dreamweaver, would've been so proud of the family's blessings & good news. We owe to him what we are, and where we are today. And we're just blessed to become an instrument in filling the holes that once was there in his life. Now he's reaping what he sow. To return the Glory to the very One who made his Impossible Dreams possible, he committed his enduring Life to the Lord when he became a Pastor. His dream, err..his calling gave him the privilege to stand & speak before the erudites and affluents of society. The type of people he once fear & shy. Occasionally upon invitation, he would be heared exhorting over the radio.

I am glad to transport myself when events unfold dramatically during my father's sunset years. His humble experience & wisdom has taught me/us that Dreams has Power only when it is made of 3 Important Elements: Prayers, Faith and Hardworks.

Lastly, I breathe life on Father's young Dream when he saw me playing the piano and writing English Articles & Poetries. But if there is one special dream to complete his JOY - is the very moment his favourite son will march the Altar with his God's best.

I dream of it too, Father :)

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