My Dad is my hero

Origanally written in Afrikaans. Translated to English by Mom and Google Translate. Please scroll down for English version.

My pa is my hero

My pa is ‘n gewone pappa wat ‘n ongewone seun gekry het.

Dit was nie wat my pappa wou hê nie, daarvan is ek oortuig.

My pappa is ‘n boer wat nie hou van maniere wat nie mooi is nie en my maniere was nog nooit mooi nie. My pappa is ‘n man wat my moet leer van allerhande boerdery dinge, maar ek kan niks self doen soos wat hy sou wou hê nie. My pappa is ‘n man wat hou van baie praat en ek kan nie ‘n enkele woord sê nie. My papa hou van mansdinge soos braai en bier drink, maar ons sal dit nooit saam kan doen nie. My pappa soek ‘n seun wat hy nie gekry het nie.

My pappa is my hero, want al is ons so heeltemal verskillend, is hy my grootste ondersteuner saam met my mamma.

My pappa het sy droom, van ‘n seun wat saam met hom kan boer, laat vaar. My pappa het sy droom van ‘n seun wat saam met hom kan gaan jag en braai en bier drink en allerhande mansgoed saam met hom doen, laat vaar. My pappa het sy droom om ‘n seun te hê met wie hy kan gesels en wie terug gesels, laat vaar.

MAAR my pappa het MY droom laat waar word om ‘n pappa te hê

wat my verstaan,

wat saam met my speel en

wat my maat kan wees.

Die grootste ding wat my pappa vir my gedoen het, is om saam met my S2C (Spelling to Communicate) te doen sodat hy ook mooi kan hoor wat ek dink en wil sê vir hom.

Dit is vandag my verjaarsdag. Ons beplan om koek te eet en saam te kuier, maar die heel beste geskenk vir my is my pappa wat nou verstaan hoe my kop en my lyf werk en my so aanvaar. Ons twee vul mekaar mooi aan, want my swakpunte is sy sterk punte en sy swak punte is my sterk punte. Saam maak ons ‘n goeie span.

My pappa is my hero,

want hy is so lief vir my,

al is ek nie wat hy graag sou wou hê nie.

My pappa is my hero,

want hy praat oor alles met my,

al kan my pappa nie hoor wat my reaksie is op wat hy sê nie.

My pappa is my hero

want, hy wie die ongeduldigste is wat ‘n mens kan kry,

het geleer om baie geduldig met my te wees.

My pappa is my hero,

al sê wie ook wat van hom.

Hy is my beste pappa waarvoor ek kan vra.

Dankie pappa vir wat jy vir my doen.

My father is my hero.

That was not what my dad wanted, I’m convinced.

My dad is a farmer who does not like ways that are not beautiful and my ways have never been beautiful. My dad is a man who has to teach me about all kinds of farming, but I can not do anything myself as he would like. My dad is a man who likes to talk a lot and I can not say a single word. My dad likes men’s things like barbecuing and drinking beer, but we’ll never be able to do it together. My dad is looking for a son he did not get.

My dad is my hero because even though we are so completely different, he is my biggest supporter with my mom.

My dad gave up on his dream of having a son who could farm with him. My dad gave up his dream of a boy who could go hunting and braaiing and drink beer with him and do all kinds of men’s things with him. My dad abandoned his dream of having a son with whom he could talk and who would talk back.

BUT my dad made MY dream come true to have a dad

who understands me,

who plays with me and

who can be my partner.

The biggest thing my dad did for me is to do S2C (Spelling to Communicate) with me so he can also hear nicely what I think and want to say to him.

Today is my birthday. We plan to eat cake and hang out together, but the very best gift for me is my dad who now understands how my head and my body work and accepts me that way. We two complement each other nicely because my weaknesses are his strengths and his weaknesses are my strengths. Together we make a good team.

My dad is my hero,

for he loves me so much,

even though I’m not what he would like.

My dad is my hero,

because he talks about everything with me,

even though my dad can not hear what my reaction is to what he says.

My dad is my hero

for, he who is the most impatient one can get,

has learned to be very patient with me.

My dad is my hero,

no matter who says what about him.

He’s the best dad I could ask for.

Thank you Dad for what you do for me.