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Impact of role models on youngsters
Impact of role models on youngsters
importance of role models in our life
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In my childhood years, my father taught me how to play baseball. I played shortstop and third base on a little league in Beirut, Lebanon, where we used to live before we moved back to Saudi Arabia. He never missed a game. He taught me how to ride a horse. The first horse we bought was named Princess. Riding in front of him in the leather Western style saddle, he would let me steer with the frayed, rawhide reins. He also taught me how to dance the waltz. I am still not very good at following, but I remember he would always say I needed to know because on that day I get married; he will demand the first dance! I used to watch him play ball with his friends. He seemed to be such a strong and athletic man.
But now I am his strength. Nowadays, I have to put his socks on…slowly so it doesn’t hurt his ankles. I have to tie his shoes, and then help him to his feet. I make him breakfast, and go with him to his dreaded doctors’ appointments. I have to massage his weakening legs and feet to improve his circulation and stop the hurt. To hear him cry out in pain, or to know that he can never do those things he loves, like sports, horse riding, and dancing ever again is heart wrenching. These days I play alone; He can’t throw the ball. I ride alone; he can’t sit on the horse. I dance alone; he can’t even walk.
My father has been chronically ill for sixteen years now. He has Rheumatoid arthritis and type B diabetes. A stroke has caused the loss of vision in one eye and because of his medication, he now has high blood pressure, a low immune system, and 70% of his kidneys are gone. I’ve watched him in agony my whole life. At times I have found myself feeling numb towards my father's cries. I try to shake the uneasiness. But what always plagues my mind is that fear for when I leave the house, I may not ever see him again. It’s a whole different outlook on life.
Yet, regretting his illness is something I try to prevent. I love my father very much. People say, by the way I talk about fathers, that I must have a good relationship with my own.