Happy Father's Day

Today is father's day in Thailand so I thought I write a little about my father.

When asked to describe my father, first thing that comes to my mind is hard working. My dad never took a day off work if he didn't have to - and by that I mean, if he didn't have to go do his civil or juristic duty. Illness had never prevented my father from going to work. Two more words describe my dad: staunch republican and devoted Redskin's fan. So, in short, my dad and I have nothing in common.

Because I would often lie on the couch and read books, my dad had great expectation for me. His thesis was that successful people are curious about everything. So, him seeing me, lying on a couch reading books often pleased him - surely thinking that his youngest child would amount to something in the future.

Alas, with my lack of ambition coupled with introvert personality, I've never turn out what he had hoped I would become. Much to his dismay, I announced that I would major in fine art in college. "Why don't you study something that would make money?" He would often said to me. Or "Why don't you take a class in computer - that's the future...what's the point of taking ancient history?"

No wonder we became more estranged as years gone by.

About four years ago, on a rare occasion, my father called me. I just changed my job - to something that is non art or history related - and I found myself lost, hating my job, hating my boss, not having any friends. I'd told him about my miseries and anxieties. After listening to my rambling, my dad, in a calm voice, said "Look...you've got two arms, two legs and one head just like them. You may not be as smart as them, but they hired you, right? So, all you've got to do is work harder than them and everything will be okay. And if push comes to shove, you can always paint for a living." He ended the conversation by telling me to make more friends -- connection is everything.

Four years later, no, dad, I have never become a painter, my friends are still few, I stink at making connection, I prefer to read history rather than marketing books, and I still work just as hard as before, but I'm kinda happy this way.