I know it’s a bit late for a Father’s Day post, but like we say for Mother’s Day, every day is Father’s Day too.
Some emotions don’t follow dates. I just wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the quiet strength, the unspoken love, and the steady presence that fathers bring into our lives.
Thank you for everything Abba. You are with us every single day.
A few days back, while scrolling through Instagram, I saw so many people posting pictures and stories of their fathers.
Wishing them. Remembering them.
And suddenly, something inside me cracked.
I miss my father.
There are moments I wish he was around, when I achieve something big, or when I feel completely stuck. His presence always made things better.
Writing usually comes easily to me. But when it comes to him… the words choke. Maybe it’s just too emotional.
Still, I want to write. I want to remember him with the words he taught me to use wisely.
I was a rebellious kid growing up.
Maybe it was the middle-child syndrome.
The younger one was pampered. The elder respected.
And I… felt invisible.
I cried a lot back then.
One day my father sat down with me.
We had a conversation I still remember vividly.
He said, “It hurts me to see you cry.”
That one sentence stayed in my heart.
From that day, I tried harder.
To cry less. To be better. To make him proud.
When I began my journey as an Architect and Interior Designer, he was worried.
He had seen life, he knew it wouldn’t be easy for a woman starting on her own.
At first, he tried to stop me. But when he saw my passion,
he stood beside me. Backed my dreams with his whole heart.
I remember a time when I was promised a project by someone I trusted.
I worked on the presentation, visited the site…
And later I found out the work had already been given to someone else.
I felt worthless. I wanted to cry.
That day, I called my father.
He dropped everything and listened.
He said,
“Don’t stop. There is enough work in the market. Keep looking. Be patient.”
That one call gave me the courage to continue.
Then came motherhood.
When Rayan was born, my schedule shattered.
From working 10-12 hours a day to suddenly having no time at all.
I worked late nights. Woke up early. My health suffered.
Again, my father said:
“This is just a phase. But don’t quit. Even baby steps count. Keep going.”
And that’s what I’ve done till today kept moving forward, even if slowly.
Now I’m a mother of two.
Life still isn’t easy.
But I’m managing. I’m learning. And I’m growing.
There was a time when someone said,
“We’ve hired someone else, Naseema. You don’t have to come again.”
No acknowledgment. No respect for the hard work I had done
It broke me.
But I remembered what my father once said:
“One day, these things won’t matter. They’re only making you stronger.”
He was right.
Now I am standing tall as a mother, a wife, and a small business owner.
Still taking baby steps. Still building. Still believing.
Everything I am today…
My strength, my patience, my resilience
It all comes from my father
He taught me to never compromise on my dignity.
To work with honesty.
And to never lose faith in my own journey.
I miss him.
Every single day.
And I wish he could see how far I’ve come.
FOR THE MAN WHO MADE ME STRONG – MY FATHER – MERE ABBA
Also Read – A LETTER TO EVERY DAUGHTER : CELEBRATE MOTHER’S DAY EVERY DAY
Check out my book ‘THE TREE AND THE WIND’ on Kindle
Check out my book ‘ISHQ-E-SAFAR’ on Amazon
