father's love

this write-up is inspired by Gru, a super villain turned into a superdad in the movie "despicable me".

Gru adopted three little girls, Margo, Edith and Agnes, to serve his evil plans to steal the moon. The three girls did more than serve Gru's original plan. They actually changed him from superbad to superdad! i was laughing and crying at the same time when i saw the transformation in Gru's character. From a hateful and selfish person, he turned into a soft, loving and caring daddy...not only to the three girls but also to his minions ; )

flashback...

in the most busy and crowded subway train in Paris, i have witnessed a real tear-jerking scene. i was seated in the middle aisle of the train near the entrance. a man in his late thirties came into the train with his baby in a stroller. the baby was about 3 or 4 months old and looked like an angel. the baby's wide eyes were focused on his/her father. he/she didn't blink at all. the daddy was cooing and smiling and making faces at the baby. but the baby was just staring at him without blinking. the father stared back adoringly at the baby. they were staring at each each other's eyes, oblivious to the people and noise all around them. they existed in their own space and time in that train. then, the father gently touched the baby's temple and the baby closed its eyes and was asleep instantly. and there i was, looking on, at the most affectionate connection between two creatures. that scene really moved me, that on that crowded train, i let my guards off and let the tears fall out of my eyes.

today, on a trip to Briksdalsbreen, i encountered a father walking up to the glacier with his 5-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter. the sun was out today, but the wind was unforgiving at times. that made the walk to the glacier a kind of a struggle. anyway, the father and his kids were walking a way ahead of me. i saw how he protectively hugged his kids when the harsh cold wind blowed their way. he would lift his son onto his shoulders at times. oh, how he nuzzled with his son when he carried him in his arms! he mostly held the hand of his daughter while his son was running around the road. they stopped when they saw goats along the way. he pulled some grass and gave it to his kids so that they can feed the goats. when they came to the glacier, he found a huge rock where he let his kids stay to be safe from the biting wind so they can enjoy the view of the glacier. when his son complained that he was cold, he took off his jacket in an instant and wrapped it around the freezing little boy. that father's love to his kids was so touching. it was difficult to contain my emotions.

i know that everyone's talking about how great a mother's love is. it is highly overrated. i think, a father's love is one of a great kind too. it is unusual (for me) to see a man, soft and gentle around his children. and when i see one, my heart just melts and a rushing clear liquid fall down my cheeks.

cheers to all the great fathers!

........................................

here's the story which Gru wrote and read to Margo, Edith and Agnes as he tucked them to bed towards the end of the film:

one big unicorn

one big unicorn
strong and free
thought he was happy
as he could be

then three little kittens
came around
and turned his whole life
upside down

they made him laugh
they made him cry

he never should have said goodbye

and now he knows
he could never part
from those three little kittens
that changed his heart

- the end -