A day to celebrate all fathers

In life, we all have memories. That is what keeps us going, whether they are bad or good. Today is Father’s Day and today is a day when those of you whose fathers are alive, need to celebrate and be happy, and not take him for granted. Too many times we forget that we are all here for only a short time, and we allow material things to get in our way and to influence the way we do things. My father ensured that whatever else, you should speak the truth and be honest to yourself. I have tried to do that as much as possible, no matter if at times it may offend some, because in this country, people take things too personally.

In football, the old stagers who have been living in closets and are fathers seem to be limited by a belief that to discuss football, you must have played nationally. We all know that is mindless and backward thinking. My father, though was obviously like most, broader in thought, and his view was simple but certain. Criticism is a fact of life, and we must use all criticisms to make us positive. Brian Charles Lara said that my criticism on Isports on I95.5FM made him better and made him score 400 runs. He actually stated, to use his words, “Keep it coming.” For this I admire him. Here was a man using this as positive energy showing he has certainly matured. I wonder if being a father has indeed changed his life. Fathers all over the world have played an important role or had an important impact on the careers of their sons and daughters.

Those of you, who like me, have lost their father will know that the pain is severe. It never goes away but lurks there in your subconscious, visiting your  lonely moments in particular, always ready at the first sign to jump forward and let you understand the reality of the world. Do not take for granted what you have. Losing my father two years ago was the saddest moment in my life and something which I will never come to terms with, because I still believe he had so much to teach all of us. My father loved horseracing. He was not a great sportsman but he could play cricket and football pretty good and I was told that he could run fast (something for which my gold medals at St Mary’s College proved I inherited at least from him in the 100 metres). When we were young, my brother Nigel and I learnt from him that once you had belief in what you wanted, you were halfway to success. The rest was up to you, but those who know both myself and my brother Nigel, will be aware of the strength of our minds especially in the face of adversity.

My father’s strength was that he was mentally tough, he knew what the price for success was and that hard work, discipline and determination were critical in this area. But he was not a man that was about parading himself around, as if he was better than any others, and quite frankly he was. Here was a man who for years would be able to select long shot winners at ease. And so when I was able to engage him to become a tipster, he did it first reluctantly and then eventually with emotion and purpose. When he won the Horseracing Tipsters award in 2000 beating out all those tipsters who spend hours at the tracks talking and gaining inside information, it was one of the proudest moments in his life. And while  he was shy in receiving his award, he was proud too and was able to prove to the country that he knew of what he spoke. Since then, for him, I have won the top awards in tipping every year since 2001, 2002 and 2003. This is my legacy for him. Sometimes in life, we need these incentives to drive us. My father was driven by the need to be the best, but not thankfully at the expense of others.

Today, we must remember all fathers, all of those sportsmen and sportswomen out there who have been influenced by their fathers, by his desire to see his son or daughter be successful in their field. I love my father, I miss my father, and I always will. Life will never be as good. Life has never been the same for me since and for my family, least of all my mother. As a son or daughter, we must learn that being a parent is not easy, and that is why many successful sportsmen are either married or have children, and with this added responsibility comes the incentive to do well. Children give you discipline and bring you joy, but please do not forget to honour parents, good, bad or indifferent, because we are all here because of them. I wrote this because I believe that just as men are portrayed as being what sports is about, so too mothers are given all that praise far too often, even though I know both parents deserve all the accolades in their various ways. As a man or a boy, we must not be ashamed to share tender moments with our parents because many times as in the case of my brother and my two sisters, we have to be thankful for their involvement in our lives. My father is Errol Gerard Baptiste and he was to me a great man for whom one day I will meet again and share a lot more great times. Never forget to give credit to all those that have influenced your life.

Losing a parent is something that never diminishes over time, but if like me, you still have one parent on this earth, then ensure that you give that parent the full love and kindness that they have given you all their life. Your parents have sacrificed a lot for you, in some cases, they have forsaken their career and times for you to have a better life, and allowed nothing and no one stand in the way of that. Yes, you may have your own life and own children, but the joy of children with their grandparents is worth a thousand pictures. My father was savvy, he knew how to give and show love. Share your love with those you love and let them know it. Show it like a jaguar, show it aggressively, and savour what you have shared with your loved ones. Death does not erode love, but instead you must live with the thoughts that they are always there for you. Happy Father’s Day daddy, and May the Force be with you. For the best in website management and change management check cornelis-associates.com