The Cry of a Father

6:46:00 AM


I got off the bus and started walking towards the flat. My bag hung over my shoulders and swayed as I walked. I was tired and very hungry. The only thought in my mind however was the reaction he would have when he met me. What would he say? What would he do? Thoughts ran through my mind. But I wanted to meet him no matter what and my hope was that he would too. My heart paced faster as I drew near the door to the flat. I rung the door bell. Minutes ticked by and not before long, I heard his footsteps approach the door. He began to shout loudly. We were on either side of the door. It was just a moment of time before someone opened the door and we would come face to face. The door opened. He pulled the door back impatiently with force and ran towards me. I was already on my knees with my arms open. This was the moment I had been waiting for. This was perhaps what he was waiting for too! He came running into my arms and smilingly said, “Papa!” I hugged him as closely as I could. He was my one and a half year old son, John.


Hello everyone! With Christmas and New Year at the horizon, I am sure everyone is quite busy! I know of a lot of young people bogged down with their exams and then there are those who are busy holiday shopping for their loved ones!

For me, the end of the year as festive as it can get is a great time to sit and look back at the year that has gone by. This has been an amazing year especially with John being such an active part of our lives. We also got to go abroad which was a first timer for my wife Anu. It was the first time she actually even got to fly!

But what has really been amazing about this year to me personally has been about my learning steps in becoming a father to my son. I know it’s just the beginning of an amazing journey. With almost two years into it, I must say it has been a beautiful experience! There have been those picture perfect moments which you wouldn’t forget and also those messed up times that you wished you had a do over! But I have enjoyed being a dad and even as I write this now, I am falling deeper in love with my son and much more to the role of a father!

There’s this great book I picked up a few months ago and I would definitely recommend this to you. It’s called “Bringing up Boys” by Dr. James Dobson. I must say, I still haven’t been able to put it down! I think I have reread some of the chapters over and over again because it’s just that good!

What I’ve found after going through the book and my own experience in meeting and talking to quite a few people is that our role as men to be fathers is the most important second to being husbands. Sadly, our society has not given much importance on that role. It is least spoken about and rarely applauded today. There is a lot of emphasis on being successful in careers and jobs but sadly none on being a successful father.


Yet, one of the cries of many people today, both young and old is for a father/ father figure. People are on the lookout for that someone who would accept and understand them for who they are. They want someone who would believe and bring out the best in them. They are on the constant lookout for acceptance and affirmation.

With Christmas coming this week, I’ve been bombarded with a lot of messages and forwards about how we shouldn’t take Christ out of Christmas and how Santa has nothing to do with Christmas etc. While I do agree with most, I think there’s a lot more that Christmas really brings to us.

I hadn’t really realized this myself till this year. I believe Christmas is the cry of a Father to be united with His children.

Galatians 4:4-7,
“4 But when the time arrived that was set by God the Father, God sent his Son, born among us of a woman, born under the conditions of the law so that he might redeem those of us who have been kidnapped by the law.
5 Thus we have been set free to experience our rightful heritage.
6 You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit of his Son into our lives crying out, "Papa! Father!"
7 Doesn't that privilege of intimate conversation with God make it plain that you are not a slave, but a child? And if you are a child, you're also an heir, with complete access to the inheritance.
(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)

Yes, Christmas is all about Jesus. But Christmas is more about a Father who wants to be with us and us with Him.

It’s amazing to think that all of us undoubtedly yearn for a father/ father figure and here is God waiting to become just that!

When we do realize that there is a Father waiting for us who loves us and accepts us for the way we are, we become more secure and confident than ever before.

He is the One who can accept and understand us for the way we are. He believes and wants to bring out the best in us. But will we yield to Him?

As most of you head out this season and into the next year awaiting for what life is going to bring, my prayer is that you would go into it with the realization that you don’t have to face it alone but that there is a Father who wants to go with you. That’s what Christmas is all about.


So here’s wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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8 comments

  1. Great post Danny N Anu, Glad that you are enjoying your role as father. I wish you a Happy festival season and more wonderful moments with your son.

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    1. Thank you Mahathi! Wish you the same this coming season!

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  2. Lovely capture Danny!! I really liked the last line, "there is a Father who wants to go with you."

    Merry Christmas to you n your family and Loads of love to little John :)

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    1. Hey Surbhi! Yup, to know that your Father is going with you boosts you up like no other!
      Merry Christmas to you too!

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  3. Wonderful post .... :) Lovely shots ... :)

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  4. Little John is sooo very cute. Wishing you great times with him. And wishing you the very best in 2016 too :)

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