To be a Dad

For my son the Supreme Conqueror Manifesting Auspicious Birth with Great Power of Speech, Eloquence and Persuasion (Ngawang Kezang Namgay).  

In the animal kingdom in which we are just another subject, the role of the male species in the collective effort of procreation leading to the continuity of the world is little more than depositing sperm. Once that is done, the male becomes a father. Whether he has any other responsibility towards the development of his offspring or not, he still remains a father. Nothing can change the biological status once he has played his part as the depositor which in itself is an act that serves to fulfill his own basic carnal urge.

However, the greatest merit in being a father is the fact that being one affords him the chance of achieving the state of Dadhood. I must make it clear that the choice of the word ‘Dad’ is not spontaneous and may even be flawed, but for a want of a better alternative, I am using it here to describe the experience of satisfactorily raising your offspring.

To be a Dad is to walk thousands of miles and still have the freshness of waking up from a great night’s sleep. Cliché as it may sound, it is to feel the pain when your beloved who means the world to you is hurt. To be a Dad also means that a semblance of contentment on your child’s countenance relieves you of all that pain and more.

To be a Dad is to be grateful to the Almighty for gifting your child with the faculties needed to get him through his life. The occasion of your child’s birth is also a reminder of the value of our selfless service providers. It provides a chance to reaffirm our appreciation to the midwife who assures your baby into this world, the nurse who nurtures your child to good health, the cleaners who make sure that the atmosphere your child is brought up in is free of debilitating impurities, and all the other sundry servants of our country.

To be born in the Dragon Kingdom is to rejoice in the wisdom and magnanimity of our great leaders. It is to know that irrespective of your being or absence, your child will find his destiny. Living in the free society of Bhutan, the birth of your child is a reminder of the fact that he will have the freedom of choice as well as the chance to develop his capabilities to live with his choice. It is to know that there will be support for him all the way.

To be a Dad is one more responsibility on top of all the others that you are already reeling under. It means you have so much lesser time for yourself. However, to be a Dad means becoming smarter in efficiently handling all of them. It means a chance to work sincerely and not idle away your time in office so that once home, you need not stay brooding over your files attending to your unfinished works.

To be a Dad is to be inspired to achieve more. It is not just you anymore. You have to be an achiever for your beloved too. It also means that your personal care achieves ever greater significance. To be a successful Dad, there will be no room for weakness. Your child will expect nothing less than perfection in you.

Becoming a Dad makes you the pride of your family and therefore, you are responsible for protecting their interest. But above all, to be a Dad is to love and support your wife, the only other person who means as much to your beloved as you. It is the duty of every man to care for his woman and as a Dad, it has to be done for the child too. No doubt it is a tough ask becoming a Dad, but the joy contained in it makes it a truly fulfilling experience.