Talking about ‘One Man Army’ the only word pops up to me is Father. If I am given a task to define selflessness, I just think of one option and that is Father. Each individual living on the face of this mortal world is always proud of one aspect of his or her life and that is living for others and putting efforts for others very devotedly, selflessly and passionately. Poor or rich, the father is the one who lives for his family and never makes them feel that he has done any benefaction. Father’s love is higher than mountains and his love for his children never dies. The word ‘father’ stands for fighter, accommodating, tolerant, honest, efficient, and reliable.
I don’t have even a meager sense of doubt in claiming that almost every child’s hero is his father and rightly so. I have never seen any reliable and dependable fighter like father. He fights for his family and has the courage to go through fire and water to meet the needs and requirements of his family. He can move heaven and earth to complete his jobs, tasks, commitments and duties to fulfil his promise with his kids and to bring smiles on their faces. This fighting nature and indomitable will and character make father a unique human being. He may fight with the world to protect, support and defend his family. He is the one whose unswerving and un-shattering belief is that a man can be destroyed, but not defeated. He keeps on fighting for the rights of his kids till he breathes his last. He is the fighter, who is indomitable, courageous, daring, determined and has ‘never say die’ approach. He never gives up, because if he does so, he may disappoint his sons and daughters and this very notion is unacceptable to him. The debilitating, devastating and blood-curdling impacts of day to day challenges can never dampen his courage and can never make him accept defeat. The struggle of this fighter goes on not for himself and his own benefits or luxuries, but for the sake of his family.
We keep on giving favors to our relatives, friends, colleagues, seniors, juniors, superiors and even those against whom we nurse grudges, with the hope that they will prove the shady trees in the burning heat of the day to day challenges, afflictions and torments. With utter disappointment, I couldn’t help saying that each time we have to embrace disappointment, frustration, and dejection. All of them leave us in the lurch by cutting our hearts to the quick, giving us the reasons to believe that they all are fair weather friends and they are our companions when there is rice in our dish. Our only true companion, who proves accommodating in such disheartening scenarios is our father. He doesn’t need any favor or reason to accommodate us. He considers it his duty to be there all the time for us and pat our backs to urge and encourage us. This towering figure in our life gives us hope, confidence and courage. There is none like him who may accommodate us unconditionally.
We live in the cruel world where we have to take each step very carefully. Our aggression, discourtesy, losing of temper, and carelessness may prove lethal and make us pay through the nose. We can’t afford to annoy our bosses. It may add insult to injury by being funny where serenity is required. In such scenarios, we have to apologize for our insensible attitudes. None tolerates our aggression, stupidity, and undesirable comments. Only father tolerates us when none other has any intention to do so. Throughout our lives, we commit mistakes and deliberately or unintentionally hurt our fathers with our unchecked, insensible and undiscerning attitudes. But praise goes to father, who very open heartedly accepts our indiscreetness and the smile never dispels from his kind face.
Honesty is something, we can’t expect from all and sundry. That’s why, we remain mentally prepared to get hoodwinked, deceived and cheated on regular basis. After getting fleeced, robbed, and looted, we look for the shoulder to cry upon. Father, who works day in and day very devotedly and honesty for the sake of family members, proves a shady tree, an umbrella, a safe haven, a gigantic and undefeatable fort for us. Father is the one who is honest in his dealings and very honestly leads his family fighting with multiple challenges at a time. He never deceives his family and tries his level best to come up to the expectations of all the members. Children trust their father that he won’t indulge anything beneath his dignity and won’t accept bribes so that he might be able to face his kids holding his head high. It is a firm belief of the children that dishonesty is the word that doesn’t exist in the dictionary of a father. This trust increases mutual respect and understanding.
Life is not a bed of roses, but children never believe that it is a bed of thorns, because their father is an efficient worker, a live wire and a source of inspiration and energy. He will never give up and wont’ stop working diligently hard to fund their kids for meeting their requirements. Fee never bothers the kids, because their hardworking father is there to arrange it earning money by sweat of his eye brow. Children never fail to demand and fathers never fail to comply. It is beyond the imagination of the family members that their father will act lethargically, sluggishly and lazily. He is the one who never shirks work, because he has to come up to the expectations of his children and he doesn’t believe in any option of disappointing them. Inspiringly efficient father is always the ideal of his kids. A father is efficient, enigmatic, empathetic, ebullient, easy-going, and energetic. Through his endless efforts and uncompromising efficiency, he earns the respect of his children.
To lead this life remarkably, we need someone who is reliable. Only reliable ones can lead us, support us and guide us. They may stand by us through thick and thin and they may help us when we badly need it. Father is the one who is the most reliable for all having their existence on the face of this earth. Father is the force which brings power, smoothness and peace in our lives. It can’t even be imagined to compare the reliability of a father with anyone else. Father is one of Allah Almighty’s greatest benefactions.
Our friend, our role model, and our mentor leads his life meaningfully, purposefully, energetically and inspiringly all because of giving meaning, purpose, energy and inspiration to his kids. Father’s presence in our lives, makes us fortunate and his departure from the mortal world drags us under the scorching ball of burning heat. Is it imaginable to find someone having the audacity to insult his father? But, the unfortunate fact is that some of the mean-spirited individuals insult, hurt and abuse their fathers. For sensible human beings, they don’t have the right to be called humans. The only logical result of their audacity, rudeness, arrogance and abusive language is repentance, but their crocodile tears or emphatic show of misery can’t bring their fathers back when they go the way of all flesh. They have to remain in the marshy ditch of repentance throughout their lives.
In most cases, fathers don’t show their emotions, but they prove their unending and unfathomable love for their kids through their tiresome, tedious, hectic routine for the sake of their kids. They destroy their own health for the sake of welfare, benefits and better future of their kids. Sacrificing his own happiness for his kids is something unique and only a uniquely selfless person like a father can do so. Those are fortunate who care for their fathers and respect them. Through fighting spirit, he stands tall; through accommodating nature, he helps and supports; because of his tolerance, he forgives and forgets the ill attitude of their children; his honesty makes him the hero of the kids; his efficiency enables the children lead a desirable life and his reliability ensures a safety and security in each one’s life. We salute our role models, friends and mentors for their untiring efforts, unconditional love and highly amazing selflessness.
Muhammad Irfan Nadeem,
Senior Lecturer in English,
Patron in Chief (Namal Societies & Clubs)
