He has no name with my friends, he is simply dada. Dada is an endearment that started with a joke when he would tease me Mama and I would respond Dada. Until I found myself fondly calling him my dada. He was, has always been, and will always be. We started our relationship in a rough road but we never give up, the first year of our relationship was a struggle but we unabashedly stood the test of time. Loving him was a great challenge for me, I was young but he taught me the best lessons I could learn about the facts of life. It wasn't an easy ride, a lot of bumps along the way, times where I encounter crossroads when it was time to choose and decide which route to take. But I stayed on the same lane that he was walking through. However, it was having this relationship that caused a rift with my parents. It was sad. I lost the trust of my parents, I lost countless friends (which I knew they never were my friends after all), I lost great opportunities by giving up my dreams, and the most painful part was when I finally let go of my chance of getting into law school. The journey was a learning experience.
But 8 years later, here we are still on the road to real life. To those who judged us, to those who judged him, and to those who judged me, thank you. But we stayed together. He may be not the best choice for me but I chose him, so why question me? He may not be the best looking guy in the world but I still chose him, so why worry? He may not be the most ideal but I chose him, so why not just accept him, too? Vaguely misunderstood? This kind of a relationship happens. And it happens to be my story.
He is an epitome of a good man, a friend, and my adviser. He is everything rolled into one. But what I admire most about him is, the way he is as a father to his kids. Yes, he is after all a father. A reality that never shaken my trust and respect for him. He is getting old but I am always gonna be here for him, no matter what. He is still a fountain of enthusiasm and ebullience and positive thought. He is nearing his early retirement and with all the plans he has for the future, I'll always be the baby that he can count on just like before.
I hope that the business would prosper, that the freelance work is better than being tied up to an office as an exclusive artist. I am always a believer in his talent, an admirer of his brilliant mind, and always in awe of his genuine heart. This next journey that we are gonna take, I wish us the best of luck. I am after all your number one FAN. I love you, dada.
