15/06/2025
I became a father at 23. I had no manual, just memories of how I was raised, with discipline, faith, and presence. I did what I knew, bathed the children, fed them, picked them from school, helped with homework, visited relatives, and made Sundays our family day. I wasn’t always perfect, but I was always there, building connection through consistency, and giving love without needing to be asked. That’s how trust was built, that’s how foundations were laid.
Today, many men carry pressure in silence. We are expected to be strong, never break, never complain. We provide, protect, and push through, even when it hurts. Few ask how we are really doing, few see the emotional weight we carry. Some of us live with wounds we cannot name, sadness we cannot express, love we do not know how to show. And yet, we keep showing up, not because we are superheroes, but because we believe our families deserve our strength, even when it is running low.
But strength is not silence. Strength is building real relationships. Strength is putting the phone down, looking your child in the eye, and being fully present. It is teaching not just with words, but with example. It is loving their mother with honour. It is knowing when to speak, and when to listen. It is letting our children see our humanity, not just our hard work. That is how we raise sons who are grounded, and daughters who are secure. That is how we raise families that remember us for our hearts, not just our hands.
This Father’s Day, I honour every man who is trying, who is learning, who is healing, who is standing. You are not invisible, you are not alone, you are not failing. Let us keep building, keep loving, and keep growing. Let us raise a generation that remembers our presence more than our pressure. Happy Father’s Day, from one man to another.