Superhero

 

September 23, 2021 – Papa’s 58^th birthday. In 2 years time, my Papa will be a senior citizen.

I’ve been asked before who my favorite superhero was. I answered – “Batman”. Partly because I love Christian Bale and because in real life, for me, Papa is my Bruce Wayne, my very own Batman.

Why Batman though?

He doesn’t have any superpower unlike Superman, Wonderwoman and Green Lantern. Well, aside from being filthy rich Bruce Wayne is just a human. The fact that he is just a mere human but does everything to the best of his abilities and his resource for the sake of Gotham (and well his revenge) is what makes him my favorite.

In all honesty, I couldn’t properly celebrate my father's birthday because we were waiting for the result of the recent Physician’s Licensure Examination that I took just 3 days prior. It was a 2-weekend exam and every morning of those weekends my parents would wake up at 4am and help me prepare for the exam – prepare my breakfast, my uniform, and my snacks. Both Mama and Papa would send me to the venue. In the car the three of us would pray the rosary together. Upon arriving outside the exam venue, Papa would walk me to the entrance holding my hand as we cross the street. In the afternoon, along with my parents, my younger siblings would pick me up.

On the first day Papa said, “when I was holding your hand this morning, I remembered the time when you were still a little girl that I’d walk to class, today I walked you to your exam and now you’re going to become a doctor. How time flies”

I was actually thinking about the same thing. I remember how safe it feels to hold my father's hand as I walked to my classroom back when I was a little girl and it still feels the same now that I'm already an adult - Papa's hand still feels the strongest and safest.

I wouldn’t be where I am now if not for my Mother and Father. We’ve been through a lot. I remembered that there was a time when our family was so poor and drowning in debts -  I heard a lot of criticisms as to why I chose an expensive career. A lot of people did not believe that I would be a doctor let alone be a pharmacist since I chose to go to an expensive school. But I learned to just bow my head and receive those like how my parents did. I would swallow the bitter tears as I try not to show weakness. For all those times, I did not witness my father picking up a fight despite all the hurtful words that he received. Instead, my father would humbly and quite brazenly still ask for help.

With the support of my parents I managed to finish my pre-med course in my desired school with latin honors and as though it was really meant to be, on my last year in college a golden opportunity to go to medical school opened up for me.

Thinking closely now, I think Papa actually closely resembles Iron Man rather than Batman (not because he irons our clothes) because unlike the revenge driven Bruce Wayne, Tony Stark  wasn’t really for revenge in End Game, he just wanted to do what was right and he actually sacrificed a whole lot for his family and loved ones like Papa. But then again those are fictional characters while Papa is real living human being who has been a pillar of strength to our family.

Fast forward to today, more than a month after Papa’s birthday, I have already sworn my oath as a physician and I have started working as one. I’ve learned through my parents that humility is a very important virtue that one must have. And when God said that He would raise those who are in the bottom, I could proudly say that I am a proud witness of that.

I'll always feel blessed to be born as my father's daughter. I love you 3000, Papa