To the best father in the world.

5-7 min read

Photo taken by Sonya Yruel Photography.

Happy Father’s Day, Dad. I’m so grateful that you have been a constant part of my life since the day I was born. Not everyone has someone that they can call “Dad”, so there’s not a day where I take you for granted. 

We’ve shared so many memories together that are filled with love and laughter. I could always find you in the audience whenever I had a recital or competition because I would just have to look for the man with a big smile on his face. Of course, it meant a lot to me that you were there for my big moments in life, but it’s the little things you did that have stuck with me.

I remember you taking me to play golf every Saturday morning. I remember you driving me to my (many) orchestra rehearsals every Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights – there were a lot of them! I remember you taking us out to Wisconsin and excitedly showing me your favorite ice cream spot at your alma mater. I remember watching the Jason Bourne series over and over again until we were able to quote the movie – “This is where it started for me. This is where it ends.”

These are only a handful of the memories I have of you, but I could fill an encyclopedia with so many more. I love you for you and you love me for me. And I thank you for that.

But you didn’t just show me love, you imparted your wisdom to me in your many life lessons. Some lessons you taught me, but for other lessons, you didn’t have to say a word. Your actions did all the talking for you. They’ve made a lasting impression on me and I want to share them back to you today.

Here are some of your many pearls of wisdom:

1. When people try to hurt you, repay them with grace and respect

I know you love ping pong, so it makes sense you would use the game to teach such an important lesson. When people try to come at you with a smash, you simply block the ball back to them in a nonchalant manner. You don’t copy the opponent’s smash with another smash because that will usually end up in an unforced error.

In the same way, what good can come from hurting the people who have hurt you? Despite the pain you faced, you have your own way of doing things and you stay true to yourself. Over time, those people will get frustrated that their smashes don’t work and eventually they will give up. Hopefully, over time, people will see the errors in their way and learn to treat other people with grace and respect, like you.

This is a true sign of a leader. Some so-called “leaders” may bully and intimidate people with their money or power, but what matters most is the state of one’s heart. Your character is far more superior influence than material things.

2. Push through difficult circumstances

You’re especially skilled in this department. You and Mom had to leave everything behind when we moved to the United States from Indonesia. Like many immigrants, you didn’t know what was in store for you. There was no game plan – the only plan you had was to make it to the end of each day with enough food on the table to feed your family.

I’m sure you had many “what-ifs.”

What if you couldn’t find a job? What if you couldn’t feed our family? What if you couldn’t find friends? What if we couldn’t afford a house? What if we had to move back to Indonesia? What if you couldn’t learn English well enough to be successful? What if we’d never fit in here due to our ethnicity?

Even though any of those situations could happen, you knew that there was no room for failure. After all, you weren’t just responsible for yourself. You had me and mom to take care of as well.

Did challenges arise? Yes. 

Have there been difficult times? 100%.

Have you ever felt like giving up? Absolutely. 

Yet, you still persisted and pushed through with a smile on your face to reassure me everything was going to okay. You showed me what it means to trust in God’s grace, and I hope you can look back now and see how much you have accomplished. I truly am proud of the father I have, and I hope you’re proud of the daughter I’ve become.

3. Never stop learning

I think my love of learning stemmed from you. I know that my friends always joke about how I’m the most studious of the bunch. And yes, I’m always trying new hobbies, reading books, or researching about something that fascinates me. Maybe it’s in our blood, but you definitely gave me an environment that allowed me to love learning.

You allowed me to be homeschooled, and you invested in the many extracurriculars I wanted to do. You became an example for me when I saw you teach yourself new things. Whether learning about the stock market or how to grill the perfect sate ayam, not one day goes by without you trying to increase your knowledge.

Whether learning about the stock market or how to grill the perfect sate ayam, not one day goes by without you trying to increase your knowledge.

I find it amazing that you have never stopped finding time to read, learn, and absorb the wonders of the world God created. Your level of intellectual curiosity goes beyond what other people think about – you learn the how and why to things that you have an interest in.

4. Remain steadfast and focused on the Lord

They say you can tell how much a person loves the Lord by looking at their actions, and I’ve seen firsthand how much you love God. You place God first in your life and you’ve taught me to do the same. All that you do shows the love and focus you have towards the Lord. I can see that you lead by example, do kind things to others, and it speaks volumes. Maybe even more than you know.

You continue to build your faith, day over day, and thank the Lord with all your heart. You trust that everything you do and everything that was given to you came from God. When you look back, you see all the little and big wonders that God gave you.

5. Be patient and slow to anger

I smile when I write this because everyone in your life knows how patient you are. You never take a day for granted and you understand the importance of being slow to anger. Is that why I also chose a husband who is so similar like you?

In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you get angry. Your calm demeanor puts everyone at ease and you have a heart that truly cares for other people’s wellbeing. You’re a friend first to everyone you meet and you always want the best for them. You tell me that being slow to anger is a strength and I wholeheartedly agree. When you have patience it brings you clarity on what you need to do next, and I have taken this to heart in my own life.

Love you always, Dad. Happy Father’s Day.

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