Through this
article, I would like to introduce to you to one great person, who introduced
me to this world. Yes, it is my dad, Mr.V.V.D.Dhayanandam, who I fondly call
‘Ayya’. My dad, aged 80 passed away on 20th Feb 2013.
As I sit back
to munch the 44 years of my fond memories, I have shared with him, my eyes
wells with tears of joy. Each moment I have spent with him, is something I will
forever cherish. Interesting incidents, interactions and some conversations that
happened between me and my dad, right from my childhood days keep flashing now
and then in my mental screen. The
earliest memory I have of my dad, are
the days he used to get me ready to school, right from dressing me up,
polishing my shoes, combing my hair and sending me off to school every morning
with a big smile. Being a last kid of
the family, I enjoyed a very special status of being his pet child. He made me
feel special in his own ways. He admired me, for what I was and for whatever I
did. He appreciated me even for my small accomplishments and laughed at my silliest
jokes. I don’t remember having heard a NO from him, for anything I asked for.
It was either given to me immediately or little later, but never rejected. But, this did not make me a spoilt child, as
one would assume. The more he said YES to me, the more conscious I became as to
what I should ask and what I should not. The inner fear that I should never
hear a NO from him, made me tread with caution as to what I should ask.
Just like he
never said a NO for what I asked for, I too made it a point not to say NO to
his wishes. His wishes were my commands. I always looked into his eyes for
approval, before I made any decision.
As
a kid, I aspired to do so many things. He saw the spark in me and kept the
flame burning, by adding fuel of positive,
encouraging words. It would not be an
exaggeration if I say, he believed in my abilities, more than I believed in
myself. He put me in a boarding school, right from my sixth standard, so that I
learnt to become independent. He did not give me a direction, as to what I
should study. The choice was always mine. His simple advice was study whatever
you want and I will support you. I wanted to do my MBA in a foreign University
and I knew it is going to cost him a lot of money, but when he came to know of
my desire, he said, if you would like to pursue the study go for it and no
matter how difficult, I will support you. After I completed my studies, he
helped me to set up my own business. In the initial few years, I ran into a
number of business losses, but he never questioned me or stopped trusting me.
He just kept telling me, that it is all part of learning and that if I keep
trying sooner or later, I will be successful. These words made me endure the difficult
times.
My dad was not
much of a social oriented person or a business oriented person, but he was very
much a family oriented person. To him his family meant his world and his world
meant his family. He truly loved and cared for each and every member of his
family. He lived his life, catering to the needs of everyone in the family. He
found his life purpose and sense of joy in doing so. He put his family first
and everything else as next. My dad was an advocate of a joint family system
and he is someone who practiced what he preached. He can be looked upon as a
perfect role model, for anyone who is interested in leading a joint family
successfully.
Of all his
wonderful qualities, the one which I have admired most is his “Patience”. He
was an extremely patient man. Throughout his life, he trusted people and
remained patient with them. And most often his patience was aptly rewarded.
He had a
unique way of showing his protest when things did not go the way he wanted or
did not like what I was doing. He used to keep silent and his silent used to
hurt me a lot. I have always wished he scolded me, rather than keeping silent.
Now that he has gone into everlasting silence, I feel the pain even more.
The type of
relationship me and my dad have shared, is something extremely rare and unique.
It is an experience that can never be expressed. Here is to my dad, my parting
words, “Dad, I love you and I miss you. May your soul rest in peace.”
Happy
Reading,
D. Senthil Kannan
Article Dated Mar'13
