Minds Dignity :
Hmmm, very sad.
I grew up never really experiencing my father talking with me. The only time he spoke to me was when he wanted to send me on errands, tell me to do something, or insult me if something did not go well. There was never a real conversation, never guidance, never the kind of fatherly connection a child needs.
Because of that, my confidence to talk to people was slowly destroyed. I became quiet and withdrawn. The only times I found myself speaking were when someone asked me a question and I answered, or when I stood in front of a mirror and talked to myself.
As I grew older, I realized I had to teach myself many things that most people learn naturally from their parents. I had to learn how to love people. I had to learn how to care for children. I had to learn how to relate to others in a healthy way. It felt like starting life without a map.
Sadly, some fathers can be very harsh, and this is something many people experience, especially in African homes where love is sometimes hidden behind strictness, silence, or anger. But a child does not only need discipline. A child needs warmth, conversation, guidance, and genuine love.
Not every father is like that. There are a few fathers with truly loving hearts who speak life into their children, guide them, and make them feel valued. Those are the fathers every child deserves.
But even if someone grows up without that kind of love, it does not mean they cannot learn it later in life. Sometimes we have to become the kind of person we needed when we were younger, and then give that love to others.
2026-03-07 15:55:53