A Letter To My Dad

February 14, 2013

Dear Abbu,

I do not know from where to start, so I guess I will start with I love you. I love you to moon and back. And honestly, I never can imagine my life without you. You are the most important person in my life and will always be. I love how when at 10 in the night (which is late for you) I tell you I need something, you always go get it for me. I love how you always crush my hand every SINGLE time I shake yours. I remember I use to tell every single person that my dad is a Gold Medalist because I always have been so proud to be your daughter.

Abbu, you are my everything. You are my one in a million. I do not need the moon to come out or the sun to shine because I have you. You are better than Koh-I-Noor ( the worlds largest and priceless diamond), Bugatti Veyron, Taj Mehal or all of my favourite books. I love books and writing. You and mom are the only two people who are better than any book, any piece of writing, any poem, any poet and any author out there in the world.

I cannot compare you to anything in this world because you simply are one of a kind. I look at you and I see a person beyond awesome. I see someone whose kindness to strangers amazes me everyday. Who is calm before the biggest storm comes, at even the worst disasters or Huzaifa crashing his car for the millionth time.  I see kindness, compassion, determination, calmness, hard work, beauty. I see perfection.My deepest desire is to be exactly like you, like the person who has loved and pampered me for the past 17 years and will always continue to do so. I love you. I love the guy who would not notice that he needs new shoes or a new shirt, who would think ten times before buying a single thing for himself and would not think twice before getting the same thing for his kids.

I remember once, someone said to you that all your kids have the latest cell phones in their hands whereas you use the same old one, why ? You laughed and said, well their dad is an Architect and mine, unfortunately is dead. I wish I could have met Dada because I bet you are exactly like him.

It is amazing whoever meets Asad Latif Piracha, even for the first time says, what a remarkable man. Well, I happen to be the daughter of that same remarkable man, and the ONLY one.

When other fathers were stopping their daughter from doing stupid things, you were prompting me and were fully involved. I remember how you always dared us to see who goes the furthest in the sea. The day when you took me to the Bakra Mandi in Pakistan on my insistence. When you made me drive your car at 11. When you showed us Abu Hamour on the bonnet of your car. I, now realise that you have never given the authority to Huzaifa to mind me, at times it is the other way around. I never knew that a thing called discrimination existed between sons and daughters in the world because I am the one being favoured at home.

Every "My favourite personality" or "Role Model" essay has been written on you. Growing up I have always wanted to be like you. The way you smile, a very rare one once in a while and I can sense it being sent from your heart. You know why I love Math, because you love Math. Why I eat peas, because you eat peas. Why money is not important to me, because it is not important to you. Why my anger is so impulsive, because yours is as well. Why I have 1.5 sketching skills, because you have like 100% sketching skills.

I am sorry. For all the times I was a jerk, brat and an ass. For things that I have done wrong. For being a disappointment at times.

Thank you. For asking for a daughter from Allah. Thank you, for loving me unconditionally. Thank you for always being there for me. Thank you, for ignoring all my mistakes. Thank you, for never scolding me. Thank you, for always taking my side. (Please, continue to do so in the future) Thank you, for never imposing anything on me. Thank you, for believing in me. Thank you, for letting us do things our way. Thank you, for being who you are. Thank you, for being my dad.

I promise to be a better person. Well, I promise to try and be like you, that will automatically make me a good person. I promise you that one day, I will make you proud.

Happy Birthday ! May you live thousand years more. May the worlds happiness and success be yours, today and always. May you always remain like you are today.

I am glad that I am your daughter and that I can look up to you anytime. I hope someday I become exactly like the person you are today.

Yours always,
Your one and only daughter.

P.S. Happy Half A Century ! That does make you old.

...SAP...