Father, dad, daddy, pop, tatay, ama, papa, there are many names to call that one special person, but to me they all mean the same thing: superman. I love my father so much! He means the world to me. Without him, I would never be the person I am today, or rather; I wouldn’t even be here in this world. But what exactly is a dad? Old, reliable Webster defines it as a male parent, however I believe that does not give my father justice. A father is more than that.

Many times he worries in silence about the future of our family. He sacrifices each morning to wake up for work. When something goes wrong mom is always the first to nag me about it, while he keeps silent, waiting for the right moment to say the right words. When I’ve committed a fault, he speculates if it’s the right time to spank a mischievous child, but hurting himself in the process.

He helps his sixteen-year old daughter learn to drive while he sits nervously in the passenger’s seat with his seatbelt fastened tightly. Due to his overprotectiveness, he rejects any of his daughter’s suitors. He is the most proud when I come home with straight A’s and soon after he’ll reward me with a surprise for my successes. Even if I fail in what I do, he’s never disappointed because he knows I tried my best.

He is a counselor for he gives me advice when I am troubled. He is my guardian for he helps straightens my path when I have gone astray. He is a role model for he leads by example.
He is a hero figure for he’s always there to save the day.

My father’s name is Ernesto, but he is better known to me as papa. Despite the difficult tasks he has to accomplish, he does it wholeheartedly. There is no doubt that his role as a father can ever be replaced. Fathers are special human beings and they are just simply irreplaceable, like Superman.