papa

 papa told stories;

stories with hidden morals in them.

he has had the most exciting life,

something almost out of a storybook 

and i loved listening to him as a child.

papa doesn't verbally tell us he loves us,

he just stands beside us--

steadfast as an anchor,

stabilizing our world

and providing us a steady comfort.

while mamu is an ocean of warmth,

papa is the guiding light in a storm--a lighthouse.

not me romanticizing what my parents mean to me;

maybe i am

but as an adult i am aware that they're human too..

and none of us really know what the heck we're doing.

in spite of that,

they've shown me love, warmth, kindness, thoughtfulness

and i have to make sure i settle for nothing less.