Monday, March 8, 2010

life in full circle and the daughter i'll always be...

Murals painted in vivid color depicting scenes from early life, decorated the warm restaurant of Bougainvilleas. Music wafted in the air and mingled with scents of homemade food coming from the kitchen. The waiter placed the cloth napkin on my lap, then my fathers. A soft cacophony of noises informed all visitors to the upscale restaurant they were in for a good time: dishes clinking, people laughing, and live music playing.

Life had come full circle for my father. The child who would stand outside the restaurant and watch wealthy Americans and European expatriates come and go, was now the man who walked brazenly into the restaurant to buy his child a sumptuous faire of food. We clinked our dishes, laughed together, and sang to the music playing.

Yes, Life had come full circle.

Returning to the land of the free and the home of the brave is met with new revelations of who I am as a daughter.
I'm the daughter who witnessed financial deprevation and broken dreams.
I'm the daughter who witnessed divine acts of God to provide for our family when my father could not.
I'm the daughter who hung on my father's back and passed out food to people in need when we had none for ourselves.
I'm the daughter who still believes her father can fix anything.
I'm the daughter who still crawls onto her father's lap to nap.
I'm the daughter who still whispers my dreams and hopes into the ear of her father.
I'm the daughter who wrote out the Joel 2:25 on a piece of line paper at the age of 7...
Now I'm the daughter who whispers into the ear of her dark-skinned, immigrant father, I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten, says the Lord.

I love you, Daddy. Thanks for teaching me about your past, so I can know my future.

15 comments:

4 of Us said...

You always have a knack for making me teary eyed..this was beautiful. I'm sure your father will be beaming when he reads this!

Cindy A. said...

Bianca,
This was beautiful. Teary eyed indeed. This touched my heart, especially after having the joy of going to church yesterday and my daddy with us. We went to McD's for lunch afterwards, and it was so nice to see him enjoy his soft-serve vanilla cone as Vicky eats up her chicken nuggets and I savor my filet-o-fish sandwich. Little moments like these remind me to keep my priorities in check:
-God
-Family
-Community

When you have these three, what else really matters?

Raquel Leal said...

Love this and love my immigrant daddy too. Thanks for sharing!

Cole said...

A very sweet and endearing account of what your dad has helped instill in you. :)

christy said...

awww...

Evie Smith said...

So glad I don't have my mascara on yet...sniff, sniff. I'm blessed to see you have such a wonderful relationship with your papa:) Do you ever speak in Kansas City?

The Montgomerys said...

Beautiful! <3

JenYfur said...

I LOVE this... love your heart in it and the pride and love you express for your dad in it! Not only is your dad an amazing example of perseverance and pouring our our Father's love into his own family and so many others... look at the Lord's indelible mark upon your entire family!

Anonymous said...

very precious bi!! love you. :)

Bianca said...

Thank you guys!

My dad read it and was so touched :) It made my day!

Christa said...

What a touching journey you have shared with us through your blog. Thanks for sharing :)

Steph said...

i love your heart! :)

Harmony Loves said...

B! You are an amazing person and an extraordinary writer. You have a way of reaching people hearts and souls, I love it!

JACKY FIGUEROA said...

I read this the other day but wasn't able to comment. Anyway, this is amazing! You and your dad spending quality time together. WOW! I can not even begin to imagine. love you!

Kari said...

Very beautiful and touching! Your father sounds amazing!

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