Leader In My Life

For many reasons my father is the best example of a role model /leader in my life. He has overcome many hardships during his lifetime and has always remained focused, determined and been convicted about

progressing and moving forward with everything he has encountered. I have learned so much from him and about him that is still motivating me years later.

Ever since an early age while growing up in a small town in Indiana, responsibility, dedication and hard working have been ways to describe my father. He was the oldest of four in a fatherless home. His mother had to put four children in a foster home when my father was eight and his youngest sister was just turning two. This was the first time of many when his mother and siblings would rely on him for leadership and dependability. For the next 4 -5 years my father was a leader, role model and father figure for his 3 younger siblings while his mother gathered and saved money to get them all back. Once my grandmother was able to get my father and his brother and two sisters back home they moved to west Baltimore. It was 1960 and my father was a freshmen at Edmonson High School, and he was very new to city life and formal schooling. Over the next two years he adjusted as well as possible. He earned a spot on the varsity basketball team and won a state championship. My father was hired to a paper route near his home and joined the choir at the local Catholic church, continuing to being a role model and a father figure for his younger siblings. He exceled in everything of which he was a part.

During the mid 1960s the Vietnam conflict was turning into a war and gathering more and more interest

throughout the world. My father at the age of 17 in junior high decided with his mother's approval of course to join the marines. He went to fight for his country and earn money for his family. This experience taught him about life, courage, discipline, leadership and struggle. He was taught fast and expected to learn on the fly. It was one of the hardest things he has ever struggled through, but it made the man and leader he is today.

Following his military experiences he returned home to a country that didn't acknowledge not respect his stand and participation in Vietnam. Life was hard for my father, yet again he persevered over and over. He went back to school at a local college, got a job at Pimilco Race track and started a family.

Life was looking up but not for long, after my parents marriage, my mother had a miscarriage which broke both of their hearts. They tried for the next few years to have a child which weighed heavily on their relationship until in 1987 they had me in April. They could not rebuild the [severed] relations and got divorced in 1989.

My father has always been there for me no matter what, he is my best friend, a great role model as a man and a father. He was my best man at my wedding, and one of my few bright spots in my life. He is a great example of perseverance, determination, dedication, responsibility, love, care and courage.

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Todd Elliott is a 26 year old student in I Can Lead, and a recovering addict. He graduated from John Hopkins University with a Visual Communication degree. He is a graphic artist by trade and loves helping others in anyway possible.

Father's Day is Everyday

Father's day is every day. It is when we wake up motivated because years a go our fathers told us what it means to be part of the global game. It is when we make wudu and use the restroom because our father taught us what being pure means. It is when we lower our gaze because our fathers taught what being a man is all about. It is excelling in school and work, because our fathers demonstrated to us what accomplishment means. It is thinking of the future as our fathers proved to us what a family means. It is our character, our attitude, our values and our vision. Our fathers our our friends, buddies and role models, hence everyday is father's day. No matter how old we are or how distant we become, our fathers will always be our fathers and will always be the our advisories, consultants and supporters. All praises to the One who gave me a father and 5 wonderful jewels.

To those fathers out there who dumped their kids, shame on you. The day you married their mother you took an oath and thick covenant with your Creator and her's to forever be responsible for the family that shall evolve from that relationship. Ignoring your children, and leaving them as a burden on their mother's shoulders while you hide behind some fake excuse is a disgrace onto the human race. But make no mistake your children shall rise to be the solution to the problems that took you to that fate.

For those among us who lost their father's at a young age, remember your beloved Prophet Muhammud (pbuh) was an orphan and evolved to be the best man ever walked on this earth. Jesus (pbuh) has no father, and will be the leader of the believers at the end of time, Ibrahim's (pbuh) father was not a believer, yet for him he would pray for guidance. Joseph's (pbuh) father was separated from his son for years to come when a young man needs his father the most.

In every story there is a lesson, and in every lesson their is a parable. In fatherhood is the parable of succession. Succession of the human race, which Allah describes to the Angels, "I am placing on earth a succession". Today we recognize that succession through fatherhood, through leadership in the family, through the formation of the nucleus of a family, the building of a community, the rising of a society, the establishment of a civilization, the sustainment of doing good, preventing evil and believing in the Creator.

In fatherhood is the parable of guardianship and care. Looking after a responsibility following the footsteps of the beloved Prophet (pbuh), preparing the future to be guardians of truth and justice.

In fatherhood is the parable of love and compassion. Nurturing values, building bridges, building feeling and empathy towards others.

In fatherhood is the parable of fun, being fantastic, a hero, a role model, an icon of pride and dignity, a symbol of identity, a connection with the past and a light into the future.

In fatherhood is the parable of awesomeness, being unique, the reason for our being, the chooser of our mothers, the reason for our names.

In fatherhood is the parable of teaching. The mentor, coach, friend and example.

In fatherhood is the parable of helping. Helping to deal with the pain of Satin's pinching at the time of birth by reminding us of our Creator and the way to success in this life and the next. Helping to hold hands when we tried to take those first steps. Helping to understand life and read and write. Helping to wipe those tears when we were first hurt by others. Helping to determine our mission and purpose.

In fatherhood is the parable of encouragement and hope. Building dreams and validating them, consulting and empowerment.

In fatherhood is the parable of respect, sharing what it means to deal with our mothers, siblings and what it means to respect our Creator through our dealing with others and ourselves.

To my dear father, may Allah (swt) give you the best in this life and the hereafter, and reward you for everything you have done for me and my brother, and everything you intended to do but Allah (swt) did not will for it to happen, from the moment you made athan in my ears to the moment death separates between us. I love you and share with the world that if Allah had not made you my father I would have been any of what I am. May Allah (swt) raise you high in this life and in jannah with the prophets and messengers. Ameen.