My Dad and I

I sometimes wonder about relationships… I’ve had many good ones and a few not so good ones. But these days I’m beginning to think a lot about my relationships with the people who matter most of all; my family.

Friends come and friends may go. Friendship is something that is chosen, but when it comes to family, you really have no choice. You have to love one another whether you like it or not.

Today, I’m going to start with my daddy!

I often try to recall my first memories of him, but I’m not too sure. He was always “going into the jungle” for what seemed like weeks on end. He used to be a land surveyor and worked for the Sabah Land Development Board (SLDB). As such, we were normally stuck in some remote town or village and only had mum for company.

He took us all over Sabah! Pamol, Tawau, Sandakan… I also remember a stint in Miri. But this mostly ended when we started school. Tawau and finally Kota Kinabalu were the cities we stayed in most.

In Tawau, he spent more time with my sisters and I, teaching me things from public speaking and math to setting up a cocoa plantation and to do sales and marketing. I always tried very hard to make him proud though he never seemed to be.

Song for my dad…
I've never been

The one to raise my hand

That was not me

And now that's who I am

Because of youI am standing tall

My heart is full

Of endless gratitude

You were the one

The one to guide me through

Now I can see

And I believe

It's only just beginning

[Chorus:]

This is what we dream about

But the only question with me now

Is do I make you proud

Stronger than I've ever been now

Never been afraid of standing out

Do I make you proud

I guess I've learned

To question is to grow,

That you still have faith,

Is all I need to know,

I've learned to love,

My selfish part of me,

And I've learned to

Walk on the road I believe.

Everybody needs to rise up

Everybody needs to be loved

To be loved

Everybody need to rise on

Everybody needs to be loved,

to be loved

This is what we dream about

But the only question with me now Is do I make you, do I make you proud

This is what we dream about

Never been afraid of standing out

Do I make you proud

Stronger than I've ever been

Never been afraid of standing out Do I make you proud

Do I make you proud

If there is one thing I can safely say I know about my dad is the fact that he has always loved me very much. Even when my mother revealed deep dark secrets about me, it still did not seem to change the way he feels about me. I guess I’m very lucky to have him as my dad!