No one can take your place in our hearts, dad

Jun 14, 2009

FATHER'S Day is a day of commemoration and celebration of dad, a time for letting your dad know how much you love him. Strengthen the ties that bind and make his day extra special with a message straight from your heart.

FATHER'S Day is a day of commemoration and celebration of dad, a time for letting your dad know how much you love him. Strengthen the ties that bind and make his day extra special with a message straight from your heart.

It is a day, not only to honour your father, but all men who have acted as a father-figure in your life — whether as stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers or “big brothers”.

The day falls on the third Sunday of June every year. Roses are the Father’s Day flowers; red to be worn for a father who is still alive and white if your father has passed on.

By Stella Nanyonga
I am so honoured to speak about my dad. The icon of love is Henry Kyambadde. He is my hero, mentor and friend.

I was born in 1982 as the second-last born in a family of seven. Since childhood, my dad has worked to occupy the most special place in my heart.

My dad is a lawyer, while my mum is a housewife. From childhood, dad struggled to see us through school and provided whatever we needed, including his time, love and money.

After the 1986 war that brought the National Resistance Movement into power, we relocated to Masaka, while dad stayed in Kampala where he worked.

This amazing gentleman has travelled a million times to and from Kampala to check on his family every weekend.

I stayed with dad in Kampala since primary school and we always drove together to the village to check on mum. Dad looked after me while mum stayed upcountry.

He did everything for me that I did not feel like I missed mum. Basing on the role he played, I have found the meaning of the word DAD.
It stands for:
D–oing
A–ll for
D–aughters

Dad bathed me every morning and prepared me for school. I went to St. Joseph’s Girls’ Primary School, Nsambya. In the evening, he picked me from school and on our way home, he would buy me splash or schweppes soda.

When we got home, he would wash my uniform and teach me how to cook and watched me do it.
One day, I had an argument with my schoolmates.

Some children said if one spat saliva on the ground and it took long to dry, that showed that one drank enough milk. If it dried quickly, then they do not.

I spat and my saliva dried quickly. When my dad picked me up in the evening, I told him the story. After that, he started buying a litre of Fresh Dairy milk every day.

Whenever mum came to Kampala, dad would take us out in the evening. I remember him telling mum that women ‘disturbed’ him while she was away.

Since I was a child, I did not understand what that meant and kept wondering why dad did not beat them. Now that I am grown up, I finally understand what he meant.

All my life, my dad has been a yardstick for an ideal husband. I have always seen him buy surprise gifts for my mum, caring for her and being patient with her. We have never seen any woman try to overthrow our mother.

Today, dad always calls each one of us daily to say hello, not because we cannot afford to call back, but because he cares for us.

Dad is always there to listen to us. He is never too busy or too tired for us.

When we were young, his presence at home meant joy and peace in the house, which was not the case in many households.

Dad, as a family, we want to say you are one in a million. You did not give us sermons or lectures about being faithful to our partners, but from how you carried yourself, we learnt to be faithful to our partners.

We pray to God that He blesses us with husbands who are like you.

Even in this crazy world, where men your age turn young girls into their mistresses, we are sure we can never collide with you at our friends’ hostels or rooms.

As a family; mum, Maria, Franc (in the US), Jim (in Juba), Sonia, Stella and Judy, we want to let you know, dear dad, that we love you and always will.

On this celebrations of Father’s Day, we would like you to know that nobody else deserves the award of the century, but you, our hero, mentor and icon. Nobody can ever take your place in our hearts.

Send your articles and photographs honouring that special man who has been a father-figure to you, to: The Features Editor, The New Vision, P.O Box 9815, Kampala, or email features@newvision.co.ug;
or a text message to 0715911654 0r 0783258644 to reach us not later than June 17

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