My father has become a frail man. Sometimes, as he potters about the garden, tending to my plants, I cannot help but stare at his tiny frame and bony legs, only to be overswept by a sad, nostalgic feeling.

I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection- Sigmund Freud

I vividly picture my dad in his heyday – he had sacks of patience, was never grumpy, and always spoke in a soft and gentle voice.

He still does, but the toll of time is visible and audible in whatever he says or does and I cannot help but ponder about how our dad-daughter roles have been reversed.

It almost feels like I need to take care of him now and not vice-versa. I owe it to him for caring for me and being there at crucial times.

I try to do this as discreetly as I can and although his pride sometimes rejects my overly-protective attitude, I know deep down he cherishes and accepts it.

I suppose daughters do have that special bond with their dads. It was always easier to get whatever I wanted from my father than from my mother.

He was always the one my sister and I turned to for help. He would then go to my mum and beg her to forgive us in his own gentle way. He still is the best confidant, best cook, best gardener...

Funny episodes come to mind as I write this, like the end of each winter – adventure time and great fun in our garden at home.

I remember being given the task of guarding my dad’s ladder until he cut the huge, juicy oranges from our trees while my sister teased him endlessly with a broom.

Laughing uncontrollably, I very often forgot all about the ladder and enjoyed watching it sway a little as my dad tried to make a safe descent.

Or the grape fights... or when we scared dad even more of cockroaches by placing big dates on the carpet near our garden door and heard him screaming out loud.

I feel fathers are very often sidelined. Dads are there just as much as mums are. Dads are seen as macho halves, hard workers or even great football players.

But there is more to him. A dad should be seen as a great father and a good husband too. Good dads should be thanked for being there.

For all those who have lost their dads, I wish you a day full of fond memories. For all those whose dads are still alive, like myself, we should make the most of Father’s Day by cherishing those good moments that are left.

space@timesofmalta.com