My dad..

is my hero. Why? No words can really describe what an inspiration he is to me. But let me start by telling you about his life.

He was born in 1948, to a very poor kedayan family. He is the youngest of seven siblings, and his older brothers and sisters had to quit school to work early in life, in order to look after their own many children.

My dad as a child was always very sick, due to lack of much needed food. Food at that time was seen as a luxury. But thanks to a hamba Allah, who knew about his condition, gave him the food and nutrition he needed. This small but important gesture saved my dad's life.

Fast forward to age 8, his mother passed away, followed by his father one year later. I honestly could not imagine how an 8 year old orphan could survive mentally and physically in this crazy world on his own till this very day. But my father, my hero, did.

He was so poor that he could not even afford the basic school uniform. He had to pick wild fruits from the forest and sell them on the side of the road. After saving enough, he finally managed to buy one white shirt and one pair of pants. He would wash these everyday and dry them off under a fan at the school hostel where he was staying, so he could wear it again the next day. Can you imagine only having one set of uniform for school? This story always brings tears to my eyes.. because I remember growing up and never having to worry about buying basic things like uniform. There were of course, many many challenges when one is poor.. This was just one of them..

Another story he told me when I was a kid, was that one time he was appointed as school prefect, and to carry out this responsibility, one was required to wear a blue shirt, instead of the only white shirt he bought years ago. He was so sad because he could not afford to buy another shirt. But his intelligence outweighed his negative emotions, and he asked for some blue dye from a friend.. soaked the white shirt overnight and it became blue! 

There were times when he almost gave up hope.. to quit school... and to work in order to make some money for a living. Word got out in school among his schoolmates of his intentions, and a teacher helped my dad write a letter to request for some financial assistance from the Government. And as a result, he was provided with $30-a-month allowance.. This made his life much easier.. and I think this was when he began to fully learn how to manage his finances. A skill I see till this day.

He was hard-working in school for many years, and it paid off! Being a smart kid, he was granted government scholarships.. He went to London, Canada and New Zealand for his studies.. He now holds a PHD in Plant Sciences and a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy (with honours). He received many awards for his work in Brunei, including a title Dato Paduka conferred by His Majesty. I'm not showing off, but I am just telling this story because I am proud of him, how far he has gone in his life.. from that little 8 year old orphan no one wanted to care... to someone who contributed a lot to society with his experience and knowledge...

So if you think you are feeling low, and helpless... just think of that little boy who had nothing... grew up defying all odds.. alleviating poverty... helping his siblings.. raising a humble family.. travelling the world.. and  now enjoying retirement... with family and friends.. 

Dad, we are similar in a way.. I mean, not how we were raised... but other things... like, we are serious when it comes to work.. we fight for justice and truth.. and we want the best for everyone in our family.. among many others.. 

You have taught me to be humble in life.. to appreciate everything I have, and to understand the importance of family.. and not to take anything for granted.

You are my inspiration and strength. You are the one I go to for advice in life.. You are my hero and you are a great father.. Thank you for everything... I love you

 and

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!

p.s. for those of you who are interested to learn more about his life, please go to http://inrom.blogspot.com/