Bear in Mind on My Daddy's Birthday

“Daddy, you know how much I love you ……….. “
That song of Ricardo, besides a song entitled “Ayah” by Koes Bersaudara, and the song of the same title “Ayah” by Ebiet GAD have always been turned on whenever I think about my dad, especially today on my dad’s birthday. These songs always remind me of my childhood when my dad took an important role in making me self reliant. All those moments flashed back in my mind, the way my dad had always taken care each of his child.

When I was about 4 years old, daddy took me to Kinder Garten at Jl. Kartini – Bandung. He took and picked me up everyday by himself. The next year he wanted to send me to private school SD Paulus I/II Jl. Dr. Rajiman following my brother who had already studied there for a year. I was not accepted by the school because I was too young to attend the Primary School. So my dad sent me to public school at SDN Pasirkaliki. After I successfully passed my first year, I was accepted to attend the second year at SD Paulus I/II which daddy viewed as the best private primary school in Bandung at that time.

Every morning after breakfast, daddy gave each of us vitamin C, vitamin B Complex and Calcium tablets, while every night after dinner each child was given a soft gel of cod fish liver oil. Sometimes on Saturday night, my parents would take us outing for dinner at noodle restaurant at Jl. Kejaksaan. On Sunday morning before going to Sunday school, daddy used to train us riding bicycle around Jl. Ganesha. He wants his children to love reading, so we subscribed a popular children magazine at that time : Si Kuncung. He took us to either Panti Budaya or Panti Karya theatre to watch a series of movie entitled Heintje. Even once when we were going to the theatre and my dad’s old car was down, we did not postpone going to the theatre but kept going to the theatre by becak. Daddy also used to take us to Bandung Fair at the town hall, to watch circus show at Gelora – Jl. Banda, and to go swimming at Karang Setra.

Finished from Primary School, daddy applied me and my brother to SMP Taruna Dharma (Yayasan Taruna Bakti) – Jl. Riau. That was the first time for me to follow admission tests. After completing Junior High School, I went to SMA Negeri III – Jl. Belitung Bandung. Our house is located in Jl. Lombok, which is not far from the school, so we could get to school by foot. We all attended the schools at Jl. Belitung, five of us went to SMA Negeri III, one of my younger sister went to SMA Negeri V, and my older brother went to SMA Negeri IX. All is located in the same building at Jl. Belitung that we spent nothing for transportation to get to school.

My daddy used to be very strict and self discipline. Early in the every morning he always drink a glass of plain water followed by praying and then doing light exercise. Although we had a house helper, each child had a turn to do part of the house works such as washing dishes, watering plants, washing the car, sweeping the house floor, cleaning the front yard etc. Daddy typed the time table of each job and the name of child who has a turn, on a piece of paper and attached it on the wall.

Daddy himself also trained each of us to ride motorcycle and to drive car when he thought we are mature enough to be trained for. Early in the morning he would wake us up and trained us driving car and riding motorcycle surround Jl. Bangka, Jl. Menado, Jl. Aceh and Jl. Belitung. I remember how at the first time I was not brave enough to drive his big old sedan Opel Capitan as well as to ride his big old motorcycle Vespa, but daddy was brave enough in encouraging me to drive a car when there is traffic jam. He even trusted my brother at his 18 years old to drive a car to Jogyakarta when we all went there on vacation.

Although to me he sometimes overprotected us, but in general he is successful in raising up each his child to become self reliant. Sometimes I ask myself whether in return I have done enough to make him content in his elderly. Now, although his sons and daughters live spread apart in Jakarta, Cilacap, Medan, Kuala Lumpur, Tuban and Surabaya, daddy is always be the first person who rings up to greet happy birthday on each one’s birthday, very early in the morning. He sends us email and sometimes chatting through internet. In every opportunity he reminds us to always be humble and be grateful.

My daddy now is not as strong as he used to be, but he is still eager to do his daily activities as usual. This morning I heard him cheerfully answered our birthday greeting on the phone, unlike his weaker voice I'd used to hear when he talked on the phone lately. I am so glad to hear him talked cheerfully, and I kept turning on the song “I love you daddy” along the day.

“ Daddy.......
sometimes I might do wrong
but I never stop trying
to be your number one
…………………………………….
I love you daddy,
You are my hero...............
..............................................
You are my superstar……….”

Happy 81st Birthday, my dear daddy. I wish you all the best.