You and I Were Once Husband and Wife

 

You and I Were Once Husband and Wife

You and I were once husband and wife.
Then,
You became a mother, and I remained just a father.

You took charge of the home, while I took responsibility for earning a livelihood.
And then,
You became the "mother who manages the home," while I remained the father who only earns.

When the children got hurt, you hugged them, while I explained things to them.
You became the loving mother, and I remained just the father who gives advice.

When the children made mistakes, you defended them and became the "understanding mom,"
While I was labeled the "father who doesn’t understand."

By saying, "Papa will get angry," you became your children's best friend,
And I remained the father who only gets angry.

You spent your days sharing secrets with the children, securing your future in their hearts,
While I destroyed my present to build a future for our home.

Your tears became a symbol of a mother’s love,
And in the eyes of my children, I remained nothing more than a ruthless father.

You became the gentle moonlight,
While I, unknowingly, became the father who burns like the scorching sun.

You became a kind and compassionate mother,
And I remained nothing more than a father who carried the weight of everyone's life.

This is a bitter reality of our society.

Very few mothers teach their children to respect their father—
To recognize how a father gives up his own meals so his children don’t go hungry,
How he struggles all day to provide for them,
How he sacrifices his own comforts and endures hardships,
How he destroys himself to make his children stand on their own feet.

But these mothers often fail to make their children understand this.
That’s why children don’t realize a father’s worth—
Until they become fathers themselves.
And by then, it’s too late.