Daddy’s girl

                                                                                         -Moheindu Amiran Chemjong

 

Like many times in this past, this time, too was I seated next to a daughter-father duo on the plane. The baby girl must have been three and it looked to me that she was very attached to her father and that her affection towards him was unmistakable. And here was I, who had just said goodbye to my Dad after the long holiday in Nepal. To make matters worse, I suppose chose an inappropriate poem the first poem on the book of poems by Gulzar I brought was about separation of a father and daughter when the daughter is married off. As I read the lines, “Something leaves my soul, something sinks in my soul, she’ll take a turn towards the rising sun, and I’ll merge in the setting sun,” a quiver ran down my spine. I remembered Dad who must have felt the same when I left him again to continue with my studies. The way he put some extra money in my hand just before I bid him goodbye and the way he looked at his daughter, the feeling could have killed me. And though, unlike the baby girl I am not three and I don’t get to cuddle up like her with her father, I am still very much Daddy’s girl even at twenty plus!

 

In the three hour flight, a lot happened on the next seats and I was kept completely glued to the twosome! There was a big ruckus when it was eating time for the baby and the Dad had to tell her a story and sing her a song while she ate. I remembered these particular lullabies Dad used to sing us when he had to put us to sleep, they are still fresh in my memory as ever! I remembered the times when we were would be anxious waiting, times when we would be unsure and scared, sad and depressed and how Dad would comfort us after which we’d again feel happy like the sunshine after the rain. The times when we all we needed us Dad’s push and we’d be able to go head in spite of all the adversities of life. Every girl, whether she’s three or thirty-three needs a Daddy! After a while, the baby girl’s lollipop got lost and she was in tears, wailing away. I also had to get up to check if it had got under my seat, her Dad looked all over for it but held her tight as she was crying away. After a while, we found the lollipop and he had to wipe her tears dry. I remember how protective our Dad is and how though we’re grown up, he cannot help remind us to be careful of the demons that might in disguise of knights! It seems no matter how old daughters are, fathers are protective after all in their hearts, and daughters are their little angels! When the baby girl went off to sleep, I started reading the poem again. But then I am so thankful to Dad for he, too believed that I will take a turn and head to the rising sun. His belief in me immense that it gives me wings to fly and soar high up in the sky! I am so grateful to him that he’s taught me to put all my faith in God, to be good and to remain a perennial optimist!  

 

There are so many times that I miss him terribly-how I long to spend time with him, be with him, share life’s stories with him and just talk to him! Since I am already so far in miles from from, for now, let me be Daddy’s girl and give him a call to let him know how much he means to me…