Letter to His Dad: Gus, You Are in His Heart of Hearts

“My dad’s turning 80 this year, the reason why I think X.. I do Y.., and will plan to Z.. My dad turning 80 is such a blessing to have, my family is getting together this year from around the world for him because we want to[…]” 

I have heard this phrase or versions of it at different occasions, through different social media platforms, and face to face, when chatting with a very awesomely dear and most beautiful person, M.B.

These days, it feels like people are turning more artificial, less outgoing, less “them”, more defensive aka cautious, instead of more social – in my eyes at least- so, when I fall across the complete opposite of these adjectives in real individuals, I stop and indulge – the least i can do is write about them, as i am best at using my words to express the most beautiful things in life through my writing:)

Family is everything- I believe that, but people in my circle, like you here my people, seem to live by that motto as well.

Well, as I have recently been spending some time chatting often with M.B., thing is, I adore the way he speaks about his Dad. He sometimes does not mention him explicitly at all or does not elaborate, but his conversations, the decisions he shares, small things he tells just reveal how his thoughts and plans build so much consideration for The Dad of the year, Gus, turning 80 this year:)

M. taught me and reminds me in every chat, how i should love my dad, and how you my people, should do the same to the dad or fatherly figure you have in your life, right now; for some of you, a Mom has also been the fatherly figure, so this post is also for you, for that deep love for “a parent” you still have, and which you must express because it COUNTS when/every time you do.

Love him today, plan things for him today, plan to see him- TODAY, not because you are afraid of losing him, but because you love him, and for that, you want to show it as many times as possible and as deeply as possible, regardless of your ego, your strict boss, far away country of residence, or other people’s comments, etc.

Showing that, talking about dads and family, in my eyes, shows how grounded the person is, and how/if his priorities in life are more or less relatively clear.

So, I decided I’d write M.’s dad a letter, expressing to him my admiration for his family, his sons, and all that he represents to them – the way I could see it, through his own family and sons:)

—

Dear Gus,

We did not get the chance to meet yet, but I feel like I already know what you are about because of your son M. mostly, and his brother R. too.

Having met both of them, genuinely: they are the most heart-warming, genuine, and interesting human beings I’ve ever met and among the brightest I will ever meet in this life. So knowledgeable, insightful, witty, funny, loving, chillaxed (a modern adjective, yes I admit hehe).

Oh, forgive me, I got carried away by describing your sons, forgive my manners would you kindly?

My name is Joy; I am an LAU Business-Finance graduate. I met your super son M. and his bubbly attitude and lovely smile during my period there in Byblos campus, Lebanon. We lost touch for a few years after graduation..but then social media got us back in touch, luckily, and we talk to-date, when he’s in Dubai and we also catch up when he’s in Lebanon. (Trust me, the one of very very few advantages i attribute to social media- i’m not such a fan honestly).

As for R., I met him through M., when i was looking for a Marketing expert last year, to transfer a “passion” and this love-what-you-do attitude to my undergraduate students and managers-to-be. We sat and talked for long hours in Starbucks planning for our event together and discussing books, interests, hobbies, life! I learned so much from him in 1 session …To-date, our encounter is still one of the most vivid in my memory.

So then, I thought to myself, they should take it from their dad, their attitude and characters say a lot, so did one of the reasons R. moved back to Lebanon -family:).

Mr. Gus, I just wanted to share how much I humbly think you can confidently be proud of your sons, your family, and their families – more than anyone, absolutely anyone in the world.

M. talks about you so much, and in such a captivating, sincere way that a listener, like me, cannot but fall in love with the genuine, loving, dearest dad he’s describing sometimes so subtly and other times quite straight forward-ly.

As I know you turn 80 this year (they do say never ask a woman her age, so I hope I can get away with knowing this fact about You paps..Well, do I? Hehe),

This letter comes to tell you how much you are loved, the extent to which you are admired, as a father and a role model, and above all, to reassure you how much you are at the heart of your sons’ decisions to do anything in this life.

I do not think your son M. sees what I see in your father-son relationship like I do, being a stranger to you in reality; however, the considerations he thinks of in his mind, today and in the near future, are associated with you, with you being in his life, and this makes the conversations he mentions you in so inspirational, so beautiful and heart-warming.

I have lived in Europe (in the UK) for 2 years, not long enough to forget my Lebanon, but:

long enough… to see how detached most sons and daughters are from their parents;

long enough..to realize that sons, like daughters alike, can be emotional and affectionate in the most amazing ways (a common Lebanese stereotype);

long enough..to have come back to Lebanon and finally appreciate my own parents more than ever before and to show it fully; yet, to also learn that  your sons … have been doing that long long before i have, being far or close to you – did not make a difference.

I also must admit, I have met you in photos as well; I swear I did not stalk you, but your son perhaps:O (A) when he posted photos with you. I don’t expect you saw me yet, but it won’t really matter because I love how I know you already.

Besides, life is generous, it always has been/will be, and, I know it will give us a chance to know each other, just like it did instill me tonight to write this letter out to you, in hopes that it’ll make its way to your screen, and if I am lucky, to your heart as well, the way I intended it to send it.

I felt compelled to tell you in person, you are loved beyond anything.

Sure, you are a parent, and like my dad, you have good days, and “less good” days with your adorably big family (bless them all, truly, really); yet, even my dad on some days makes me feel like he needs this reassurance that his family is there for him, loves him, respects him, and supports him through the good and bad, through the tough times he’s had and will have, and the coming times, with all “changes” the days and life may carry.

This letter comes to also thank you, for raising such two sons, whom so far are the ones I have had the privilege to meet in person, but only because they both were generous enough to let me in their lives, and shared their time to help me out, one way or another, when i needed it most:)

The last thing your son M. and some of his people told me was, in the lines of,

“there are few people like you remaining in this world…”, but

the truth is, having individuals like them in my life, is what allows me to trust that I can be myself and open up to people and the world, albeit knowing such kind heart-ed people still exist in this world, where living conditions are unfortunately changing the nature of people and their kindness, their affection, and their love to one another.

May God forever bless you and keep you engulfed by the warmth your family has brought to my life, whether they were far or closer geographically, i know they are there and will fill up my life with beauty, the beauty of living:)

Truly yours,

Joy

March 14, 2017