Cuddly Daddy

 

I was biking solo in a lonely but familiar trial. I was about to pass a very steep curvy ramp where you are almost out of control unless you use your brakes. Right around the corner where the ramp is starts, I see a man waiting (late 30’s early 40 may be) on his bike. It was obvious he was waiting for his biking partner/ team mate/who ever he came with. May be the other person slowed down…Anyways, I usually fly through that ramp, but now that I saw this man waiting, I know someone is coming up not far behind. So, I consciously slowed down a bit. Half way through the ramp, I see a bike off the ramp and a little girl down. She would be hardly 10 yrs old. She wasn’t hurt much but was clearly on shock. I slowed down and stopped to check on her. She seemed to not make any efforts getting up but when she saw me approaching her, she hurried to stand herself up and started walking towards the direction of her dad…the man waiting around the corner unaware of his daughter’s accident.  

 I stopped…asked the girl if she was okay…if she wants me to go back and let her dad know that she was here…she was quick to nod yes to show that she was okay and pretty quick to sign no to the offer of informing her dad. She started walking rather in an erratic way towards her father. It was pretty clear that she was scared and uncomfortable with my presence.  But without any further awkwardness, his dad cam looking for her. The little girl who had held up all her fear, her tears and her embarrassment till that point broke down and hurried to bury her face somewhere between her father’s chest and tummy!

 I’m a very cuddly dad… I hug, kiss, cuddle, roll with my kids a lot. But after that scene at the bike trail…I felt like that’s not enough. I went straight home to hug my kids. I’m making it evident and crystal clear to my kids that I’m there for them. Kids they need their dads to be their bone and strength. Moms somehow physically, emotionally are always attached. Dads derail at some point. As the kids grow, the dad assumes more responsibility, household and financial accountability and slowly distance themselves from their kids.  Apart from few gifted exceptional cases most of us (80’s/90’s kids) probably had dads who we looked up with more of respect than love (I assume so…at least that’s how I was). The generations prior to us groomed men to be head of the family, providers and caretakers. They were introverts when it came to showering hugs, kisses, sharing shoulders but good at heart. We are in a generation where kids mature emotionally fast, but deep inside they always need their Dads to be there…physically, emotionally. Not in rhetoric form but really there. So, Dads…if you are shy to mingle and jingle with your kids, if you think love is in your heart and you don’t really need to show it…please change before its too late.  Be there!