Hi, welcome to Lost in Labyrinth, to the new listeners and old! Its my pleasure to have you on my podcast and hopefully it could be for you too!
Does the history of a place intrigue you? Ever wondered whats the story behind a place being called what it is? I am sure most of us are aware of the famous airports around the world. I will cut to the chase and talk about the O'Hare International Airport of Chicago. Ever wondered what it is named after? You see in early 1930's in US there was an unbeatable lawyer Easy Eddie. He was such a good lawyer that no matter what the charges were the authorities could never put Al Capone or his people in prison. He was so invaluable to the mafia that they gave him enormous wealth, best of cars, best of everything you can think of. To Easy Eddie his son was the most dear of all. One day it occurred to him, he has given his son everything money could buy except an example of a father, that he could be proud of. The more he thought about it, the more certain he got he had to help the government to put the mafia in prison. He testified and got many arrested knowing fully well he would be killed for this. And so he did! He paid a very heavy price to give his son a father the son could be proud of! He sacrificed his life for the greater good.
During the World War 2, Japan attacked Pearl Harbour. There was a man in United States Air Force. He single handedly foiled the preemptive, surprise attack on USS Lexington, his carrier boat. He saw there were 9 Japanese bombers and he alone charged at them. He made the 2 planes fall into the ocean. When his ammunition was finished he tried knocking off the wings of shooting planes and drowned another three. When 4 of the 9 remained, the Japanese thought this man is crazy and retreated. He was the first person in US Air Force to be awarded with the US Congregational Medal of Honor, the highest award there is! His name was Butch O' Hare and the Airport of Chicago is named after him. He is the most brave and celebrated American hero! But what makes the story so interesting is that Butch O'Hare was the son of Easy Eddie. That is the legacy a father left for his son!
No points for guessing today's podcast is about Fathers. While so much is always spoken about mothers and how they have brought up their children, role of father is usually undermined and not discussed as often. How totally unfair?!
When I was in about 6th standard, my father (who would barely be caught active in this role) was giving me a dictation,a spelling test. Every time he would give me the word to write and lay the text book infront of me, contrary to the convention of holding the book close to chest. I said you are supposed to hide the book so that I can't see. With a smile he said you will not see, if you don't wish to! Many a times at home or in moral science class in school we were taught about being honest, but that day this lesson drilled deep in my head. You see honesty, integrity, being steadfast is something I take after my father! He is never over the board or even on the board with display of his affection but time and again he subtly imparted the life lessons I am very very proud to be blessed with!
My father-in-law and my father share the same name and command the same respect. Among many other things, recently when I shared with him that I wanted to start a podcast, he listened to the whole thing with a curiosity of a child and encouraged me to do it! Our previous generation is not very tech-savy and he is no exception. When the first episode came out, the link didn't function properly, he called some 3 times to check if there is any different link or a way to listen. He dedicated his whole day to get it right and finally victorious at the end of the day, he called me to say, he has downloaded Spotify and would use it every week just to listen to me! Not only does he have my name saved in his phone with the same prefix as his daughter, he also listens to me first and his son second. It is these little things that goes to say a lot about him as a father!
I admire them, oh boy only if words could do justice!
As a woman I needed a more hands-on father to my children. The changing times have witnessed evolving role for both parents. The transition that happened on both ends. The woman stepped out and the dads stepped in so as to speak. The fathers became more tactile with the upbringing and sharing the responsibility of raising a child. Right from their participation in pre-natal class to the complete know- how of diaper change, what a child eats, running them a bath, taking them for swimming/football etc, nursing them when sick or putting them to bed with an equal ease. I know because I see man around me doing it with aplomb. Afterall a man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child!
So today, through this platform, I applaud all the dads and father figures who are their daughter's first love and son's first hero! Dad the most ordinary man turned by love into heroes, adventurers, story-tellers, singers of song! People who wear an invisible cape day after day, everyday! May you continue to leave that indelible imprint in our lives.
Happy Father's Day!
Catch you next Friday, Good bye!
As a woman I needed a more hands-on father to my children. The changing times have witnessed evolving role for both parents. The transition that happened on both ends. The woman stepped out and the dads stepped in so as to speak. The fathers became more tactile with the upbringing and sharing the responsibility of raising a child. Right from their participation in pre-natal class to the complete know- how of diaper change, what a child eats, running them a bath, taking them for swimming/football etc, nursing them when sick or putting them to bed with an equal ease. I know because I see man around me doing it with aplomb. Afterall a man never stands as tall as when he kneels to help a child!
So today, through this platform, I applaud all the dads and father figures who are their daughter's first love and son's first hero! Dad the most ordinary man turned by love into heroes, adventurers, story-tellers, singers of song! People who wear an invisible cape day after day, everyday! May you continue to leave that indelible imprint in our lives.
Happy Father's Day!
Catch you next Friday, Good bye!
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