Still in the spirit of Father’s Day, I would like to write about my dad. Aku bersyukur punya seorang Papa yang luar biasa. Dari beliau, aku belajar tentang arti kerja keras. Papaku punya usaha restoran. Sejak kelas 2 SD, aku sering diajak ke restoran untuk membantu dia sedikit-sedikit. Every Saturday, my dad would put me on a regular ‘shift’ dan setelah shift selesai aku diberinya uang jajan 50 ribu rupiah. Senang banget rasanya waktu itu setiap kali terima uang, langsung terbayang di kepala mau beli mainan, sticker, buku, dll. Sungguh 50 ribu rupiah serasa menang Powerball!
Pengalaman membantu Papa bekerja di restoran mengajarkan aku banyak hal berharga. Salah satunya bahwa untuk menghasilkan sesuatu itu perlu “kesengajaan”. Dalam arti perlu ada usaha, perlu disiplin, perlu ketekunan, perlu kerja keras. Restoran kami hampir tidak pernah libur, dalam setahun mungkin cuma 7 hari liburnya. 358 hari sisanya dikali 8 jam sehari adalah waktu kerja Papa. Semua dijalaninya dengan setia tanpa banyak mengeluh karena mimpi Papa adalah agar anak-anaknya bisa sekolah tinggi.
Colossians 3:23-24 says there is a reward in every hard work. The reward that only comes when you carry out your work diligently and wholeheartedly. Kerja keras Papa membuahkan hasil karena dia bisa mengirimkan 2 dari 3 anaknya untuk kuliah di luar negeri sampai selesai. The achievement that he always proudly mention to anyone who asks about his children.
I’m forever thankful for everything that my dad has done in my life. He is a good, good father, he provides, he cares for his family, and put our needs above his. But my relationship with him is not always the smoothest. In 2014 we lost Mum due to cancer and since then, our family are never the same. Kita semua seperti kehilangan arah. To make things worse, only 8 months (!!) after my mum’s passing, my dad introduced us to someone new which is now his wife. Keputusan yang kita sebagai anak-anaknya tidak bisa terima because my mum is irreplaceable.
Sejak itu, relationship-ku with my dad went downhill. I kept my distance and when they decided to get married in a couple years later, I was still very much against it. I was disappointed with my dad; he is no longer the good father to me. For a good seven years, I was holding on to the hurt, bitterness, and anger. Something I’m not proud of. In my brokenness, I ran to God and cried out for His help because I feel my relationship with my dad is damaged beyond repair.
Mark 10:27 says things that are impossible for men, are made possible in God. Lewat beberapa kejadian, Tuhan memulihkan hubunganku dengan Papa. He started by softening my heart. Aku yang tadinya against dengan idea Papa tentang ada pendamping baru, disadarkan kalau Papa juga manusia biasa yang butuh companion. Lalu lewat satu tragedi dalam hidupku, Tuhan semakin memulihkan hubungan tersebut. At that lowest point of my life, aku merasakan lagi kasih sayang seorang ayah, the love that is beyond everything.
God is truly a God of restoration. If today your relationship with your Dad or your loved one is broken, please know that God is able to mend the relationship. It may require you to surrender the hurt, frustration, and the need to be right. Be willing to forgive and do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody (Romans 12:18).
God bless. (AS)
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