THE SILENT FATHER

Faris had always felt a quiet emptiness around his father. His father was a man of few words, strong hands, and calm eyes that rarely betrayed emotion. Birthdays, school achievements, even small victories—Faris longed for a word of praise, a hug, or even a simple smile that said, “I am proud of you” or “I love you.” But those moments were few and far between, leaving him feeling unseen.

Every morning, Faris would wake up to see his father already gone for work. The breakfast plate on the table, a neatly folded note saying, “Eat well and study hard”—that was his father’s language of love. At night, when everyone was asleep, his father would quietly check if faris's blanket was on, if his homework books were closed, and if the light was off.

But Faris never noticed those little things back then. To him, his father was strict, distant, maybe even cold. He used to wish his father was more like others—someone who cracked jokes, gave hugs, or talked about life.

Years passed, and their distance grew like an invisible wall. Faris entered college, full of dreams and independence. Life got busier, and calls home became shorter. His father never complained; he just listened quietly and said, “Take care.” That was his way of saying I miss you. Only his mother’s gentle voice kept the connection alive.

One winter evening, Faris got a call. His father had fallen sick—nothing too serious, his mother said—but something in her tone shook him. When he reached home, he found his father sitting on the veranda, quietly mending an old pair of Faris’s shoes. His hands trembled slightly, but he smiled weakly and said, “They’ll last you a little longer now.”

That small moment broke something inside Faris. He realized how many times his father had silently given without expecting anything in return. His love was never loud, but it was everywhere—in the repaired shoes, in the sleepless nights, in the worn-out wallet that held only family photos.

That night, Faris sat beside his father, holding his rough, tired hands. For a long time, neither of them spoke. The silence between them was no longer heavy—it was peaceful, filled with understanding. Tears welled up in Faris’s eyes as he hugged his father tightly and whispered, “Baba… thank you.”

In that moment, he lived every boy’s dream—to finally hug his father and feel the warmth of love that words could never express.

His father simply smiled, the same quiet smile he always had. And in that silence, Faris finally heard the loudest “I love you” of his life.