A Slice of Life of a Filipino Father

One Friday, the call for fatherhood really caught me. After several days of leaving early and coming home late at night, I saw my hands putting the following in my To-Do List: bond with family, be a father to my son

Father and Son at SM IMAX ready for the 3D movie ahead.

Next to that in the List were:

• prepare powerpoint presentation, do flipchart version (just in case)
• do analysis of ROI, review pricing scheme, factor in seasonality
• get two more sales people, repost vacant position in JobStreet
• etc etc etc

After putting that "bond" thing at the top of my list, I felt peace surge up inside me. Weeks before that, Rhia saw my calendar and remarked, "I don't seem to see us here." That remark hit me like a sniper's bullet. One shot, from nowhere, and I'm down, dead and bloody.

I could have rebutted with, "What do you mean you're not there? You're why that calendar's full!" But wisdom prevailed and I kept my mouth shut. There was something serious to reflect on there. Deep inside I knew Rhia said everything I needed to hear that moment. So, why fight it?

My son needs a father. He knows he's a boy and he needs to bond with the man of the house. But lately, where is the father, the man of the house? The father seems to love being at the other end of the phone line, saying sweet things, when what my son really needs the most is someone he can play rough and tumble with.

The moment I wrote the "bond" thing in my To Do List I felt I fulfilled the promise I made to Rhia that day: "I'll do better next time, my Dear."

The Sunday after I wrote the "bond" thing on my To Do List, Rhia went on a trip. So, I ended up spending the day with my son. What a great opportunity that was. I had a great time.

My son and I had lunch at KFC Farmer's Plaza in Cubao, rode the MRT, watched a movie in IMAX at SM North EDSA, had snacks at Jollibee in Trinoma, visited the Gawad Kalinga site in Project 4, played in Ali Mall, etc. We went to Mass at the Mall too. All day, just the father and the son.

My son had a great time as well. I felt absolute peace.

In the evening, Rhia was back and she asked my son if he enjoyed the day. He said yes. But later he said No, not really. My son explained that he wished we were running on the grass and did Kung Fu on stone boulders the way it was in the movie Kung Fu Panda.

That was my son's way of motivating his father to spend time with him again next Sunday