As Father’s Day comes around again this year, I remember my father. I was fortunate to have a father that was concerned for his family and wanted nothing but the best for us all. There are some memories as a child you never forget; for some those memories are bad, but for others the memories are inspirational. My earliest memories of my father involved early mornings in New York. As an immigrant to this country, my father was a construction worker and would wake up early in the morning to go work outside in the cold. I always remember the routine; it started before the sun came up and before I ever started school.
My dad would wake up and begin his daily routine while my mom was making his breakfast and his lunch. My dad would take his lunch box and sit in the living room while he put on his shoes. Every time he did this and I was there he would tell me, “Make sure you go to school and get a good education, because I don’t want you to ever go outside and do the work I have to do.” He would always go on to say, “Get yourself a nice office job where you’re inside and don’t have to wear your body out.”
These memories are over 25 years old but I can still remember the scene vividly: the look on his face, the layers of clothes, the lunch box, our conversations and his words of advice. My brothers and I have been very fortunate to have parents that were actually concerned about our well-being and our future. Even though my father passed away 6 years ago, the relationship we had has helped shape me into the person I am today.
As this Father’s Day comes and goes I just wanted to pay homage to my father: Ravindra “Sammy” Pulayya.