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The Confessions of a Child
From broken plates to long apology texts, This is my Father's Day letter to the man who patiently shaped my life.
Oghenemine Owhatuemuhor 6/21/2026 3 0
Have you ever beaten a child so much that your hands started hurting... yet the child remained completely unfazed?
- Not crying.
- Not begging.
- Sometimes... even laughing.
What do you do with such a child?
Well... that child was me.
Please don't judge me just yet.
I was the child everyone loved, but I also gave everyone something to talk about. Very smart, hardworking, respectful and always had an answer for everything, and somehow, I could talk my way out of almost any situation. Daddy would catch me red-handed, and before long, I'd have him questioning whether he actually saw what he saw.
I was also strangely too sensitive for my age. I could tell when Mum wasn't happy with Daddy, or when Daddy wasn't happy with Mum. Back in the days of those tiny Nokia phones, I'd sit quietly and type very long text messages to both of them, different messages, of course. I'd apologize on behalf of each to the other, explain what they "really meant," and plead with them to forgive each other. Then it used to be four pages per text. I could send like five times if necessary.
Looking back now, maybe writing has always been part of me...
But don't let that fool you.
I broke plates, always got into trouble and did weird things that still make me laugh today. Some stories I'll save for my children... and some, I'll remind Daddy of when my children start visiting their grandfather.
I was stubborn.
I was adventurous.
I was notorious.
And Daddy?
He never spared the rod.
Let's just say... I contributed my quota to keeping the cane industry alive.
But today, I understand.
- Behind every correction was love.
- Behind every discipline was vision.
- Behind every "No" was a father determined to raise a child with values that would outlive him.
Many of the qualities people admire in me today: the resilience, the discipline, the ability to communicate, to lead, to care deeply about people, didn't appear overnight. They were shaped, corrected, and refined, one lesson at a time.
So today, I celebrate you, Daddy, because you were present and intentional towards us. You lived a life of sacrifice, loved intentionally, corrected fearlessly, prayed constantly, and gave everything you had to raise us well.
Thank you for every lesson, every sacrifice, every correction, and yes... every beating.
Now that I look back, I realize they weren't signs of anger; they were expressions of love from a father who refused to give up on his child.
Happy Father's Day to the man who helped shape the woman I am becoming...
I love you, Dad. With Love from Oghenemine_The Global Woman