Ode To My Dad

• Amelia Uhatafe, Grade 12
• Short Story
• 2013

For me, he's like the humble Sam-wise to my adventurous Frodo. He is the wise king while I am the young fool.
But most of all, he's my Dad.
My Dad encourages me to the best person I can be and he's unlocked the world for me, allowing me opportunities and experiences that some people acquire only after living a decade or two.
It's not to say that he paints me illusions of the world, quite the opposite, he ensures that I know the struggles I will face and that I have the tools necessary to overcome all obstacles in my way from life-like Sauron's to stressful HSC's.
He's instilled in me a passion for life and the ability to persevere in trials. To learn from my mistakes, my Dad made sure that I didn't see these lessons as just mistakes but milestones. Milestones that showed how I fell but was still able to get back up.
And even though my Dad has passed away, I know he's still cheering for me as I prepare to walk the graduation stage and to continue my role in this play called life.