.........and there are dads

……… and then papa, there are dads,
But none like you…
As every wishful father would have his dear daughter say, for him.

But you are not wishful, not vain, not proud of what you have done for us.
But proud, so proud of what we have done for ourselves….just ourselves
Not even for you- for what have we done for you?
Could not even know that you were going? Never to return?

I had seen you walk down those very steps many times
And I was walking down with you then, and you were seeing me off!
You said good bye to me then? But did you stop me?
Did you ask me to see you off?

I had seen you drive out to work…
I had seen you shut the gate and go for a walk,
But never with the finality …..with which you went that day.
You did not even turn to give us a look! You did not move at all!

Papa,
Did you know it would hurt us, so you never told us?
Did you feel sad about leaving us?
Did you feel nothing while going? I wish you felt happy.
I hope you were happy, detaching yourself from this world so full of maya
Worthless maya, useless emotion
All wasted…. Where are you now?
Hope well …. And happy…..
We want you to be happy always. Always, papa.

We are the proudest children you can imagine
You are a celebration of fatherhood, absolute dedication, papa
And just now, when we see our mother- we see you in her.
Her strength- her bravery, are all your gifts to her.
In her, you live.
And we know you continue to be with her.

But papa, did you really have to go,
To make us realize how much we love you?