Thầy

[Father : Teacher]

The ships are docked close by for Fleet Week and strangely, it is the time when I especially feel his presence. I imagine what the little one would look like bouncing in his arms — or with feet dangling from the chair as she learns to write cursive under his watchful eye. So much of me I see in him. My father, a former Naval Commander and ViệtNam veteran, continues to exist through some of my habits — and forever, remains in my heart.

In my language, calling my father Thầy always meant “father” to me. It didn’t occur to me until I was in my teens that the literal translation was “teacher.” Had we shared more years together, I’m certain I would have learned know more about him, from his preferences for tea to how his past has shaped him.