On Father's Day
Fathers of daughters, brothers of mothers, sons of sisters. Grandparents. We all raise one another.
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Abandoned by our father, my mother took on a role as both parental figures. Family became fluid. Her brother our father, my aunt our mother. Our mother had to send us away half a year before she was able to emigrate. I mothered my sister. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Father’s Day used to be hard for us. I would find myself in bed buried in my emotions or doing anything & everything to avoid them. Then it occurred to me when my grandfather passed away. There is no one father. For those born into the randomly blessed circumstance of having a nuclear father figure, celebrate them. For others whose mothers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters, mothers & fathers of our own who took on that role, take this day and every other chance to celebrate them, too.
About the Author
Almila Kakinc-Dodd is the Founder, Editor-in-Chief of The Thirlby. She is also the author of the book The Thirlby: A Field Guide to a Vibrant Mind, Body, & Soul. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Nursing as a Dean’s Scholar at Johns Hopkins University. Her background is in Anthropology & Literature, which she has further enriched through her Integrative Health Practitioner training at Duke University. She lives in the Washington, D.C. Metro Area, where she regularly contributes to various publications. She is a member of Democratic Socialists of America and urges others to join the movement.
