“…Did we use up all our words for each other in those stories and lullabies?”, and “All I know about you is hearsay. I hear you have a degree in history. I hear you played cricket at University…” - These lines really tug at heartstrings. So well written! Praying for a speedy recovery :)
Were you writing about my dad and me?? Nicely written. In my case, my dad does have a phone but he ‘speaks’ to me only when in a good mood, or when concerned about me...health, job that sort of thing. But never the stories of his bachpan and growing up. For me all that I know about his life is from others, or him telling it to others in my presence. On a recent visit to my home, they live in Ahmedabad, me in Pune, I realised that he spoke quite freely to my wife, regaling her with stories about his adventures. And then I remembered that he wanted a girl. He’s never told me this of course, but my mum did, more of a ‘see your dad didn’t even want me, I did, so love me more’. Anyways, that realisation made things clearer, maybe he wanted a girl because he would have connected more with his kid. He wouldn’t have had so many expectations.
Wishing him good health and a speedy recovery - and you both the chance to make up for the lost time, as it were :) Thank you for sharing this letter with us!
Wishing you two countless happy and maybe a few awkward (those will be inevitable as dads go) conversations. Also wishing him a super speedy recovery <3
Hope you did have that talk Rohan. 🤞🏽
Devastating.
"I have never asked you about any of this. Is that why you have never told me about any of it?"
How resonant! Beautiful, seamless writing.
Thanks, Soumya. And thanks for the pre-publication feedback too. :)
“…Did we use up all our words for each other in those stories and lullabies?”, and “All I know about you is hearsay. I hear you have a degree in history. I hear you played cricket at University…” - These lines really tug at heartstrings. So well written! Praying for a speedy recovery :)
Thanks a lot, Eesha.
Excellenr
Were you writing about my dad and me?? Nicely written. In my case, my dad does have a phone but he ‘speaks’ to me only when in a good mood, or when concerned about me...health, job that sort of thing. But never the stories of his bachpan and growing up. For me all that I know about his life is from others, or him telling it to others in my presence. On a recent visit to my home, they live in Ahmedabad, me in Pune, I realised that he spoke quite freely to my wife, regaling her with stories about his adventures. And then I remembered that he wanted a girl. He’s never told me this of course, but my mum did, more of a ‘see your dad didn’t even want me, I did, so love me more’. Anyways, that realisation made things clearer, maybe he wanted a girl because he would have connected more with his kid. He wouldn’t have had so many expectations.
That must have been such a difficult thing to hear and live with. I'm sorry and I hope that one day you can talk to him about it.
Thanks for the reminder ..it's time we talk to our parents rather than suffer in the unsaid words we both had the capacity to share.
Definitely. :)
Beautiful, Rohan. I hope he has a speedy recovery.
Thanks a lot, Ayush.
Wishing him good health and a speedy recovery - and you both the chance to make up for the lost time, as it were :) Thank you for sharing this letter with us!
Thank you, Anu :)
Wishing you two countless happy and maybe a few awkward (those will be inevitable as dads go) conversations. Also wishing him a super speedy recovery <3
Thank you 💚
Go home and spend some time with him? Hope he recovers soon!
Yessir. That's the plan.