Blessing Indisguised

My dad started living by himself about 15 years ago. Since then my brothers and I have been living with my mother and then by ourselves and have been accustomed with living without him. Of course every now and then we will meet up for dinner or a mahjong session. Sometimes my dad will stay over with us for just 1 or 2 days when he had a stop over in KL during his business trips to any other part of the world.

My relationship with my dad is a funny one. One one hand i wish for his company, on the other hand i get very uneasy staying with him. I adore him yet i am also afraid to be too close to him.Like i said, i wanted so much to be able to  live with him but at the same time, finding it rather awkward. When he stays over, he is more like a guest rather than a family member. I tried my best to make sure his brief stays with us are comfortable and pleasant.

My dad just went back to Beirut after staying with KC and me in Algiers for 5 days. He has been coming over to Algiers quite often these few months and have been staying with us rather than in the hotel. When he was gone yesterday, i think back on the time he was staying with us and i am very glad and very very happy. If it wasnt because of KC working here in Algiers, i would not have the opportunity to live with my dad again, even though it is a brief one.

I used to hate doing houseworks when i was younger. Now that i am getting wiser (a.k.a older), i often look forward to my dad coming over to Algiers so that i could just do his laundry, cook him some home cooked dinner, tidying up his bed or even being in the same room with him watching a TVB drama. These are the only chances that i got to really spend some time together with my old man.

To some of you, spending time with your dad is just an every day task and it is a norm. But for me, it is different. It is something i wish i could have but at the same time afraid of having it. I love my dad, very much, but i do not know how to spend time with him as his daughter. Having these chances in Algiers had given me the time i needed to treat him as my dad again and not so much of a guest.

And thanks to KC, he organised a one day trip for us on last Friday.

I was very happy over the trip. I was happy because it has been ages since my dad and I took a picture together. What's more, it has been so long that i forgot when was the last time my dad actually requested to snap a picture together and not requested by me. It has also been ages since my dad referred me as his dear daughter and gave me a hug before he left for Beirut.

I love you dad.