#fatherslove
— two stories, one silence —
________________________________________
A father…
takes down a photograph
not gently
not carelessly
but like it still breathes
like it still holds warmth
… 👨👧🖼️ …
He presses it
to his chest
the same way he once held
his child
close
safe
whole
… 👨👧🖼️ …
He remembers her…
the sound of her laughter
how it filled rooms
without trying
how sunlight seemed
to follow her
like it knew
she belonged to it
… 👨👧🖼️ …
A twinkle in her eye
chasing butterflies
like the world
was nothing but wonder
… 👨👧🖼️ …
And he remembers that moment—
when she told him
what she’d become
the pride
Heartful… the pride
that lived in his chest
… 👨👧🖼️ …
He smiled
he kissed her goodbye
like fathers do
like it’s just another day
… 👨👧🖼️ …
But war…
war doesn’t recognise love
it doesn’t pause
it doesn’t care
about laughter
or butterflies
or fathers
… 👨👧🖼️ …
It writes its own ending
in smoke
in fire
in silence
… 👨👧🖼️ …
And sometimes…
daughters come home
but not as they left
not with laughter
not with light
… 👨👧🖼️ …
but wrapped
in something heavier
than any father
should ever have to carry
… 👨👧🖼️ …
And somewhere else—
another father
stands with another photograph
… 👨👧🖼️ …
This one…
his son
… 👨👦🖼️ …
He remembers strength
growing year by year
small hands
becoming steady
a boy
becoming a man
… 👨👧🖼️ …
Laughter that echoed
not soft
but full
alive
… 👨👦🖼️ …
He watched him grow
with pride
with hope
with that quiet belief
that everything
would be alright
… 👨👧🖼️ …
because that’s what fathers do
they believe
even when the world
gives them reason not to
… 👨👦🖼️ …
And when life twisted—
when the path turned
when things became uncertain
he stood there
steady
unmoving
supportive
… 👨👧🖼️ …
because love
doesn’t step back
… 👨👦🖼️ …
But war…
war doesn’t ask
who is loved
it doesn’t choose gently
it doesn’t spare
… 👨👧🖼️ …
It takes
and takes
and takes
… 👨👦🖼️ …
And sons…
they come home too
… 👨👧🖼️ …
but not always whole
not always smiling
not always the same
… 👨👧🖼️ …
sometimes carrying
things no one can see
sometimes leaving
pieces of themselves
behind
… 👨👧🖼️ …
And in the quiet—
in the stillness
after everything
there are fathers
holding photographs
like they’re holding
time itself
… 👨👧🖼️ …
remembering
what was
what should have been
what will never
be again
… 👨👧🖼️ …
because love…
doesn’t end
even when everything else
does
… 👨👧🖼️ …
— Paul Baldry (LongJohn)
Mar 22
Mar 22, 2026 at 9:09 AM UTC
— two stories, one silence —
________________________________________
A father…
takes down a photograph
not gently
not carelessly
but like it still breathes
like it still holds warmth
… 👨👧🖼️ …
He presses it
to his chest
the same way he once held
his child
close
safe
whole
… 👨👧🖼️ …
He remembers her…
the sound of her laughter
how it filled rooms
without trying
how sunlight seemed
to follow her
like it knew
she belonged to it
… 👨👧🖼️ …
A twinkle in her eye
chasing butterflies
like the world
was nothing but wonder
… 👨👧🖼️ …
And he remembers that moment—
when she told him
what she’d become
the pride
Heartful… the pride
that lived in his chest
… 👨👧🖼️ …
He smiled
he kissed her goodbye
like fathers do
like it’s just another day
… 👨👧🖼️ …
But war…
war doesn’t recognise love
it doesn’t pause
it doesn’t care
about laughter
or butterflies
or fathers
… 👨👧🖼️ …
It writes its own ending
in smoke
in fire
in silence
… 👨👧🖼️ …
And sometimes…
daughters come home
but not as they left
not with laughter
not with light
… 👨👧🖼️ …
but wrapped
in something heavier
than any father
should ever have to carry
… 👨👧🖼️ …
And somewhere else—
another father
stands with another photograph
… 👨👧🖼️ …
This one…
his son
… 👨👦🖼️ …
He remembers strength
growing year by year
small hands
becoming steady
a boy
becoming a man
… 👨👧🖼️ …
Laughter that echoed
not soft
but full
alive
… 👨👦🖼️ …
He watched him grow
with pride
with hope
with that quiet belief
that everything
would be alright
… 👨👧🖼️ …
because that’s what fathers do
they believe
even when the world
gives them reason not to
… 👨👦🖼️ …
And when life twisted—
when the path turned
when things became uncertain
he stood there
steady
unmoving
supportive
… 👨👧🖼️ …
because love
doesn’t step back
… 👨👦🖼️ …
But war…
war doesn’t ask
who is loved
it doesn’t choose gently
it doesn’t spare
… 👨👧🖼️ …
It takes
and takes
and takes
… 👨👦🖼️ …
And sons…
they come home too
… 👨👧🖼️ …
but not always whole
not always smiling
not always the same
… 👨👧🖼️ …
sometimes carrying
things no one can see
sometimes leaving
pieces of themselves
behind
… 👨👧🖼️ …
And in the quiet—
in the stillness
after everything
there are fathers
holding photographs
like they’re holding
time itself
… 👨👧🖼️ …
remembering
what was
what should have been
what will never
be again
… 👨👧🖼️ …
because love…
doesn’t end
even when everything else
does
… 👨👧🖼️ …
— Paul Baldry (LongJohn)
Mar 24
Mar 24, 2026 at 4:41 AM UTC
When I look at you…
I don’t just see children.
I see time itself—
moving, changing,
growing right in front of me.
You are my sunrise—
the kind that pulls me out of sleep
even when I’m tired,
even when life feels heavy—
because somehow,
you make the world begin again.
And in the same breath—
you are my sunset.
All those colours you bring into my life—
loud, messy, beautiful—
the kind you can’t hold onto,
only stand back and feel.
You are my mornings—
full of questions I can’t always answer,
energy I can’t always match,
but wonder I never want to lose.
And my afternoons—
where everything turns into adventure.
A walk becomes a journey,
a game becomes a battle,
and somehow…
I’m invited into your worlds.
You are my evenings—
quiet moments,
laughter softening into tired smiles,
memories forming
before I even realise, they’re happening.
And then there’s the twilight—
those in-between times,
where you’re not quite little anymore…
but not grown either.
That part—
that part catches me off guard.
Because I see who you’re becoming,
and I’m proud—
but I’d be lying if I said
I don’t miss who you were.
You are my dawn—
hope in its purest form.
Everything I didn’t get right,
everything I wished for—
somehow…
you carry it forward.
And even in the midnight—
in the worries,
the fears,
the quiet thoughts that keep me awake—
you are still there.
A light.
A reason.
A reminder
of what matters.
And every now and then…
you are the eclipse.
That rare, breathtaking moment
that stops me completely—
when I look at you and think,
“How did I get so lucky
to be your dad?”
Now, listen to me—
if the world ever overlooks you,
if people fail to see
what I see…
don’t let that change you.
Because not everyone
knows how to recognise treasure.
But I do.
I always will.
And loving you—
that’s the greatest thing
I’ve ever been given to keep.
Mar 21
Mar 21, 2026 at 10:39 AM UTC
He need not bring us luxuries,
As he never failed to fulfill our needs even without asking;
He need not be taking us on holiday,
As the quality time he spends with us is more than enough;
He may not take us to restaurants often,
As his handmade dosas never fail to taste delicious;
He may not be fashionable and trendy,
As he never judged our fashion sense;
He need not give us valuables,
As he gave us enough value education;
He may not be by our side always,
As he taught us well to stand on our own feet and to face the society;
He may not hold power in the community,
As he earned immense respect with his kindness and ethics;
He may not teach us how to make money;
As he never forgot to teach us how to save it;
He may not work in a reputed organization,
As all he care about is his family and not money or his career growth;
He may not be expressive,
As we can witness it in his actions;
He may not be anything as he is everything for us!!
And admiring his contribution may take my whole life.
I may never express to him how much I admire him, care for him and love him;
But one fine day, I will convey him how much his happiness means to me through my success.
Jun 15, 2025
Jun 15, 2025 at 1:19 AM UTC
Meri paidaish k waqt woh khushi aur fikr ke mix emotions mein kho raha tha....
Mujhe janam to meri maa de rahi thi, par usse dekh inhe bhi dard ** raha tha.
Jab main bol nahi pata,tabse meri khawahisho ko pura karne ka zimma uthaya tha...
Kandhe pe bitha kar duniya dikhayi aur ungli pakad ke papa ne chalna sikhaya tha.
Bhale khud,hindi medium mein aathwi kaksha tak ki thi padhai....
Par paise jama kar kar, seher ki best English school mein meri admission thi karwayi.
Office mein over time kar ke, mere future ki planning mein paise bachate the.....
Khud eid pe purane kapde pehente, par humare liye naye kapde silwate the.
Par tab zindagi mein, papa ka balidan aur pyaar kaha samjh mein aana tha.....
Papa ko thank u, i love u baad mein keh denge abhi to sirf paisa kamana tha.
Phir ek raat dosto k sang, madhoshi humpe chahi thi.....
Par waha fikr k maare papa ko neend kaha aayi thi.
Papa ka phone aaya to number dekh pehle phone kaat diya.....
Jab wapas call aaya to "kyun pareshan kar rahe ** keh kar papa ko daat diya.
Phir agli subah phone aaya to socha, papa ko baar baar phone karne k liye naa kahe....
Par samne se awaz aayi "yeh jiska phn hai, unhe raste pe dil ka dora aaya, aur woh abb nahi rahe"
Aaj raat hai par sulane wala nahi....
Dost aur party hai par phn kar haal puchne wala nahi.
Aaj kehne to bahut kuch hai, par koi sunne wala nahi...
Abb bol sakta hoon, phir bhi khawahisho ko pura karne wala nahi.
Jab keh sakta tha tab maine kaha nahi....
Aaj paisa to bohot hai, par thank u, i love u kehne ko papa nahi.
Apr 8, 2019
Apr 8, 2019 at 12:30 AM UTC
I'm not the best dad known to man
I don't have money or fame
I definitely don't have super strength
I stagger from life's pain!
I haven't been just where I should
Beside you everyday
I haven't followed My Lord's design
In life or any way!
I haven't lived a life to brag
Or be so proud about
Yet one things known that when I love
It's love you'll never doubt!
So as you read these words right now
As written from my heart
Just know I'm in Gods fold again,
I've got a brand new start!
Now as I live each day for Him
I'll show you love you've missed
I'll tell you what you are to me
Let's start with this small list -
You're my princess and my angel
My precious shooting star
My gorgeous gem, the brightest pearl,
My ALL is what you are!
Apr 3, 2016
Apr 3, 2016 at 10:38 PM UTC
Saturday is, it doesn't matter day,
I don't care to answer the phone
my day to get things done as so
To play in the sun, while living fun,
reliving youth with my child
being a dad as best I can
This day, I forget the world at large,
kicking back to whatever thrills me
letting go of the shackles that restrain
I let go of all my aches and sorrows.
hold on to the little arms, gifted by God
making it his day to be who he is
So I say to Saturday, my doesn't matter day
I am blessed to have you here
But, here's to the others in the week
I'm treating you just as the same!!
Copyright © J.L.Gonzalez 2015
Sep 5, 2015
Sep 5, 2015 at 8:29 PM UTC