Staying far away from her father, who lives all by himself, despite his advancing age, Shail writes a soulful letter to her father, Papa. This is a part of the special feature on Father’s Day in Different Truths.
My Dear Papa,
This is a letter from your daughter, your one and only child, who loves you very much but, who unfortunately will be unable to convince you of her love for you.
This is a letter written from the bottom of my heart but the words of this letter will never find its way into your hands because you told me that you do not believe in ostentatious expression of emotion.
If you genuinely felt that precious emotions of love and affection needed to be stored in one’s heart like a treasure, then why did those invaluable drops of tears find their way down your cheeks, as I left for my new home when I got married?
Life is never always kind. It has rules to follow of karma and nature. What we wish for or aspire for need not be what our souls actually need. Then, why wage a war with it and, in the process with your only child?
I still have joyous memories of that dashing curly haired man in sparkling white khaddar ka kurta and paijama being flanked by innumerable friends. There was something in you that charmed everybody.
I still remember the proud confidence you had in me in all the ventures that I took up; from drawing to cycling, from academics to debating.
My first cycle, my first two-wheeler, my first typewriter, even my first day at school – I remember everything clearly as if it was only yesterday.
Today, after life has extracted its pound of flesh from both of us and we are slowly and steadily moving towards a phase of self-realization and acceptance, why don’t you let go off the grudges and regrets that have come to fill your heart and mind?
Agreed that certain dreams of yours did not get transformed into successful goals of mine.
Agreed that what I aspired for you did not wish to get converted into reality.
All the same, you are and will always be the first man in my life irrespective of the fact that I have two more in my life now. Today, when you struggle with the ailments of ageing years and try hard to come to terms with the conflicts in your mind, I am there for you and, will always be.
I am still your tomboy Shaily. I am still my Papa’s little girl who would do anything to make her father happy.
I love you Papa (I say it much as you would not like me to say it).
Happy Papa’s Day.
Your daughter,
Shail
©Shail Raghuvanshi
Pic from Net.
Shail Raghuvanshi is a poet, freelance journalist, copyeditor, voice actor, and artist with 30 years of experience in various media. She has worked as the Cultural Correspondent for India’s first integrated media company, PLUS Channel, and has written course material for Madurai Kamaraj University’s Post Graduate Programme in Advertising and Public Relations. She has also been a coach of Communicative English. She has published poems, short stories, and articles in leading magazines and anthologies.
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