My dad turned 60 over the weekend.

My dad is my hero and role model. Among the countless things I admire about him, one that constantly leaves me in awe is his willingness to make sacrifices for others, sometimes even at the expense of his own comfort. Growing up, I watched him positively impact several lives without expecting anything in return.

To mark his Diamond Jubilee, some of the beneficiaries of his generosity rallied together to throw him a surprise 60th birthday party. For someone who hardly celebrates his birthday, it was a relatively grand event attended by a couple hundred people.

Rumour has it that he might have shed a tear or two when the attendees shared their testimonials about him.

My parents are the most important people in my life. I consider it a privilege to have arrived on Earth as a product of their union. They are far from perfect, but their beautiful hearts shine brightly even through their imperfections.

Birthdays are special because they give us a chance to celebrate life. I honour my parents daily, but even more so on their birthdays. Each year, I eagerly look forward to the opportunity to show them how much they mean to me on their special day.

However, I felt somewhat different this time.

My dad turning 60 brought mixed feelings. Of course, I was excited to celebrate six decades of his life. However, beneath my joy was the sudden realization that my parents are indeed getting older, and there is nothing I can do about it.

As a kid, my dad was my real-life Superman, albeit without the cape. He runs a business, juggles multiple responsibilities across various contexts, and delivers on all fronts while being consistently present for his family. Having left his home to build a life from almost nothing, he has created a legacy worth celebrating.

At 60, he’s still doing quite well for himself, but not without the signs of aging. The length of days is evident in the extra wrinkles on his face when he smiles, the slight hesitation in his steps, the more noticeable gray hair, and the increasing reliance on his glasses for sight.

As much as I am grateful to still have both my parents, I am again reminded that life is finite.

The Wheel of Life

It is said that by the age of 18, most people will have spent about 90% of their total time with their parents, with the remaining 10% distributed throughout their adult years.

This fact is generally true, as many children leave their parents’ homes when they go to college and begin establishing their own families afterward. They relocate, start working, and take on greater societal responsibilities. Consequently, this results in less and less time spent with their parents.

It gets even worse on a personal level. I moved to a boarding school at the age of 9 and spent six years away from home, visiting only for three months each year. At 17, I moved to Russia to study, and in the nine years since then, I have visited home only once—back in 2023—and spent less than thirty days total with my parents.

After my last visit, it dawned on me how much I missed my parents, and I resolved to visit home more often.

The older we get, the less time we have to spend with our beloved parents. Another truth is that, as much as we pray they stay with us for much longer, we may not always have them with us. As morbid as it may sound, this is the reality of life.

Life can get quite busy, but amid all that busyness, seize every opportunity to spend more time with your parents. Call them often, cherish every moment you share with them, express your love for them, and give them their flowers while you still can.

Who knows, by doing so, you might even extend their days even more.