Kids nowadays are taught to say they love their parents without too much thinking about it. It is almost a second nature to them. My elder daughter surprised me with a nice Happy Father's Day card she created at her preschool with some help from her teachers. And, of course, she did not fail to mention she loved her father.

Contrast what my daughter has done to how much courage I had to muster to call my father this morning to say I loved him. It was almost pathetic. I was stumbling with my words even though I had rehearsed what I wanted to say a few times in my mind beforehand. He did not even know that today was Father's Day. I managed to ask him whether he needed anything from me or the rest of his children. He simply said no, nothing in particular. Asked if he was satisfied with all of us, he said yes without hesitation. He is a man of few words. But I love him dearly. The whole call lasted for less than 5 minutes.

Happy Father's Day, Abah.