My dad – he is one of the most strongest persons I know, with an optimism that keeps everyone around him going, with a voice that cheers you when you hear it (because his voice has a smile!), and with a generosity that I aim for. His ability to put anyone and everyone at ease, be it the shyest familiar or that complete stranger, is simply wonderful. I am glad for his confidence and pride in me. For that makes me work everyday towards keeping that confidence and pride intact in him.

Life Lessons et al

Dad has definitely instilled so many life-lessons (both the simple ones like learning to wrap that gift perfectly as well as those not-so-simple ones) just by being there for me always. He has taught me to be me.

Here are just five of those that I (hope that I have) learned from him:

• Patience (OR better known as Not Losing Temper, Ever): Dad so rarely has raised his voice in anger that I can barely remember those far and few instances it might have happened. I have been almost like him in this (not always and not with all however). While I am not as patient today as I used to be, this is one of those life-traits I feel is an inherited one further refined by watching him. And I continue to work on it daily.
• Optimism: Looking at the bright side of everything, the silver lining in the clouds, and doing it all with cheer. He has done that everyday and he is still doing it today, in the face of so many odds. Here is to keeping that spark of hope, of optimism, shining bright.
• For greeting everyone and treating everyone with warmth and cheer in your heart, no matter what. I am striving to get better at this everyday, for it is one thing to feel you are doing it right, and another to ensure the other person feels it too (and my dad is one who knows how to do it right!).
• Valuing Time as Time and Tide Wait for No Man: So be on time for everything, and make sure you have enough time to spare for all those things that can happen just when you least expect it. For example, leave early to the airport or the train-station or the bus-stop or, well you get the jist.  On a side note, this meant that we always had time to spare at the train station during our summer vacation trips to grandpa’s and that meant I happily browsed those tiny book-stalls at the platform and entered the train arm-full of books, thanks to dad.
• Taking Life in Stride: And for those times when even the best laid plans might go haywire, make the best of it. Take life as it comes, keep doing what you do, and you’ll be alright.

Today is his birthday. In continuing with the theme of 31 days of Children’s Books, I bring to you a list of children’s books that show dads at their best, with links to reviews where possible instead of detailed reviews of a few.  So, here are 19 books featuring wonderful dads (from board books to YA in no particular order). To the bestest dad ever 🙂 (and to those other wonderful dads I know in my life, including my DH, my brother, and my late father-in-law)

The Book List

1. The Papa Crow in ‘Song for Papa Crow‘ – Read this sweet book to see Papa Crow’s love for Little Crow
2. Mr.Bennett in ‘Pride and Prejudice‘ – Mr.Bennett has a special place in his heart for his favorite daughter (well, he should not have any favorites, but..) and I love the relationship between Elizabeth and her dad
3. Atticus Finch in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird‘ – Well, what more can I say?
4. Otto Frank in ‘The Diary of a Young Girl‘ – One non-fiction book; Otto Frank is definitely a dad anyone can vouch for.
5. Pop Larkin in ‘The Darling Buds of May‘ – Larger than life, full of laughter – that is Pop Larkin for you.
6. William in ‘Danny, The Champion of the World‘ – William
7. Rashid in ‘Haroun and the Sea of Stories‘ – Rashid is all game for the adventures that awaits him in the Sea of Stories along with his son, and I loved that about him.
8. Both the dads featured in ‘Kabuliwala‘ by Tagore – 5-year old Mini’s dad (the narrator of this short story) and the traveling Afghan – the Kabuliwala – who is endeared by Mini as he misses his own daughter far away in Kabul – are both emotionally portrayed as father figures.
9. Hans Hubermann in ‘The Book Thief‘ – Not Liesl’s real dad, nevertheless, simply wonderful!
10. Horton in ‘Horton Hatches the Egg‘ – Not a dad, and not even human, but Horton exemplifies parenthood in this Seuss story.
11. Eric Carle’s ‘I Love Dad with the Very Hungry Caterpillar‘ – I discovered this book earlier this year and adore it.
12. Mr.Tooting in ‘Chitty, Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again‘ – Like Rashid in the Sea of Stories, Mr.Tooting is all up for adventure in a flying car, Bond style!
13. Matthew Cumbert in ‘Anne of Green Gables‘ series – Matthew’s affection for Anne is one of the central themes of this series for me.
14. Mr. Quentin in the ‘Famous Five‘ series – Absent minded professor, short-tempered too, but a cool dad indeed!
15. Carson Drew in the ‘Nancy Drew‘ series – A brilliant lawyer who is ready to step in to help his daughter solve her cases, a dad ahead of his times..
16. Arthur Weasley in the ‘Harry Potter‘ series – Devoted dad, tinkerer, helper of tricksters, many roles in one.
17. The dad in the ‘Fancy Nancy‘ books – The relationship between the dad and Nancy is simply sweet.
18. The dad in the ‘Judy Moody‘ books – same here.. as #17
19. Papa Bear from the ‘Berenstain Bears‘ books – Tough love dad, yet fun-loving, a little bit like his kids many days.. (and Mama Bear knows that)

Writing this post as a series for the Ultimate Blog Challenge and Write 31 Days.  31 Days, 31 Books! This is Day Six.

Day 0 Day 1  Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5