Life Lessons from a JUST BORN Father!
It was 5:45 pm on the 22nd of April 2020 when my w(L)ife went into labour. Within moments the pain was unbearable and there was no choice but to wear our mask, fasten the seat belt and drive our way to the hospital. You know there are days where your inner voice whispers….. ‘Ready for adventure?’ that’s what I heard…..
It was the early ERA covid19 where you were not allowed to step out and negative covid19 report was the only way to enter any hospital which we dint have as the ETD was 3 weeks later, it took us 7 hrs 20 minutes to get all the necessary formalities cleared and get a bed in the hospital for ‘Firdoze’.
All this pain ‘She’ had to go through all alone.
I can only imagine staying in labour for more than 12 hrs, this is the endurance and a strength of a mother, and as I believe truly that
S’HE is S’uperior than HE”
23rd April 2020, 6:40 am I got a call from the doctor that you are a proud father of a ‘princess’. Gosh I have broken all our family traditional record of 176 yrs of only men in the family. I had never felt so proud ever, a feeling of love and tears of joy was all in me.
I had to wait for 3 days to grab my love and angel in my arms and take her on a first ride in dadda’s car back home. What an adventurous journey to mother earth, she has to be special and we call her ‘Sarah’.
One thing unique about becoming a parent is its ‘on the job training’. In this 200 days my life has changed a lot, while there are challenges for all first time fathers it changed my life for ‘GOOD’. It has given me a filter to look at life as a ‘journey of experiences’.
Lessons through this beautiful journey -
Don’t seek happiness —
Happiness is not a checklist to be followed, it’s a feeling that should be embraced.We should embrace every moment in our lives and look out for ways to be content and happy. And for that just look around with an open mind there are so many ‘MOMENTS’ that can be happy memories for life.
Give HER a break -
9 months as part of her, the sacrifices and pain of getting an amazing soul in this beautiful world. It Is a devotional and a demanding task, The strength of a mother cannot be matched by the strongest man in the world. She deserves a break, every time during the day look out for time where you let her do what she wants, give her that extra hour of sleep by taking the midnight / early morning feeding session (Its a different feeling when your daughter sleeps in your lap). Help her make the bottle of milk or change the diaper. Be a ‘TRUE FATHER’
Unconditional love -
New borns cannot take care of themselves and depend on us totally, even when you try and do your best there will be moments of frustration and exhaustion. Parenthood has made me love unconditionally regardless of the situation. Fatherhood is the right mix of best, good, bad and the ugly but unconditional love has no complaints.
Parenthood is a Journey and not a destination
parenthood is to experience every stage of your child’s life and enjoy it as a great story. As amazing it was to hold my daughter the first time in my lap, I am equally excited to see her run to win a 100 meter race against me to she getting married to her true love. Enjoy the journey called ‘Life”
Your child will be your ‘Mirror” -
I have come across so many instances where my child has reacted very differently when she hears me shouting or she is in between an argument of my and my wife, or when she looks at her parents trying to speak to her of the future. Yes they reflect and mirror you, when I am stressed she would copy my behaviour, that is a good enough reason for me to stop stressing and live in the moment. I always wanted myself to think independently in any moment, be calm regardless of what’s going in the life and spread as much happiness possible and I would want to raise my child similarly.
The best part of parenthood is that it teaches you to keep smiling whatever the situation and circumstance.
By no means I am a perfect father and I don’t want to be one, all I want is to become a best friend to the best daughter, someone who she can talk without filter and look upto no matter the situation. I am really excited and looking forward to learn more and more as the journey unleashes.
