Like many middle-class fathers, I sacrificed a lot for my daughter in a hope that she will have a more comfortable life than her parents. And believe me, my daughter never disappointed me. She has been a great kid and an excellent achiever. She has always been on top of her class. She left no stone unturned in making her mummy papa proud.
Even though we could hardly afford luxuries, we made sure that we never let her tone down her dreams only because of our financial conditions. And, don’t get me wrong my wife and I never had any regrets to sacrifice for our daughter’s dream. We knew she was made to do bigger things in life and we just need to offer some support to her dreams.
The day I saw my daughter in that white coat with the stethoscope, every pain of this father went away
Every sorrow of this father just wiped itself off; every taunt that our relatives made on me spending my lifelong saving on my daughter’s education just meant nothing. It was just like all my tiredness from my soul was taken away and I went to heaven while being alive. It was just that kind of moment when you get all your answers and you feel you served the purpose of your life.
But my happiness wasn’t long-lived
My daughter told us that she would like to get married to her classmate and we were happy for her. Who could be happier than parents when their kids get the life partners of their choice?
But we were so naïve that we didn’t know how our daughter’s marriage would be the toughest life exam that she has to go through. Even tougher than the medical selection tests!
My daughter who is polite, kind, smart, intelligent, and strong was insulted at every step of her married life. Being equal to her husband in her professional career, she was always treated lesser than her husband at home. Her mother-in-law did not leave a single chance to remind her that her profession and dreams are secondary and she can never be as good as her son!
Even though she was blessed with so much respect at her hospital for the kind of doctor she was, she got hardly any at home!
She was always taunted for giving importance to her career than to her in-laws! She was taunted for taking care of the world, while her mother-in-law had to make tea and cook for herself!
She was told what’s the use of having an educated daughter-in-law if mother-in-law has to cook for herself!
My daughter is the most patient person you may come across. And, she just ignored consistent taunts just because for her it is more important than anyone else to maintain mental peace. And, she believed that as long as she respects herself, no one else can make her feel any less.
Who wouldn’t be proud of raising such a strong and independent daughter? I am. We are.
But one day, my daughter broke. She called us sobbing that day. Her mother-in-law crossed all the limits by howling at her, calling us, her parents characterless, and blamed her for ruining the family name just because she told her that she has to go to the hospital early and can’t help in the kitchen.
Even though my daughter has got her a maid, she still feels like my daughter has to cook meals. Maids should just support, daughter-in-law still needs to cook for the family!
As a father of a responsible daughter and a great doctor, I have three words for her in-laws “SHAME ON YOU!”
As my daughter is not letting you break her spirit and lower her aspirations, I want to tell her in-laws: My daughter is way much stronger than your regressive taunts. You may spend your whole life insulting her or treating her badly, she will still not give up on her undying spirit to achieve her dreams!
That’s my daughter! That’s my little princess who will conquer the world irrespective of how hard you try to make her life difficult!