Some legacies aren’t measured in wealth, fame, or power – but in love. On this International Father’s Day, I return to the theme of giants – and the love of my own father, Saleem Aslam Chaudhry.

This is the second entry in my series Standing on the Shoulders of Giants – an attempt to express gratitude to those whose lives, choices, and love have lifted mine. Today is about fathers. Not perfect ones – but present ones. Not flawless – but loving. It is about the fathers who show up, who stay, who guide and comfort and teach without demanding recognition. It is about my father.

My Father – A Constant Thread

My father never asked to be celebrated. He never needed applause. He simply loved. He worked. He gave. I think of the many roles he played over the years – father, provider, protector. He was there in the ordinary moments that now shine bright in memory: the warm hand on my shoulder, the quiet presence after a hard day, the way he made me feel safe, even when the world didn’t.

He was and remains a man of quiet conviction. Someone who did the right thing – not for praise, but because it was the right thing. Someone who helped others even when it cost him. 

Present 3 – Being Seen

One of the greatest gifts my father gave me was the feeling of being seen. Not just looked at, but really seen. As a child, I felt it in the way he knelt to my level to listen. As an adult, I feel it in his quiet pride, his thoughtful questions, and the dignity with which he treats me – still. In a world that often feels rushed and distracted, his attention was a kind of sanctuary.

I hope I can offer the same to my children. To see them – truly see them – every day. To acknowledge their feelings, their quirks, their dreams. To make them feel like they matter – deeply – because they do.

Present 4 – Feeling Safe

My father’s legacy is not in possessions, but in patterns. The way I give love to my children echoes his behavior. The way I – sometimes – pause to help someone, even when it’s inconvenient, reflects the choices I saw him make again and again. I’ve come to realize that legacy isn’t something you leave behind – it’s something you live, every day, in the presence of others.

To all fathers who try, who love, who stay – thank you. To those who stumble but keep getting up – you matter. To the fathers no longer with us – we carry you in who we are.

And to you, abbu – I see your strength. I felt your love. I still feel your love. I remember your choices of staying home at night – when you should have gone to work – to make me feel safe. And I hope one day my children will look back on me the way I now look at you.

Who are the fathers who shaped you?

Have you told them?

And if you are a father – what will your children remember about you?Mark J. Chaudhry
International Father’s Day – 6 June 2025