My Father, the Mighty King-Ababajanhoy

 On this Father's Day, I'd like to tell you about my Father, the Mighty King. I grew up without my dad in my life, but I was blessed to have an uncle who stepped in the role when needed, and enough father figures to guide me through my formative years. I'd like to give sincere thanks to you all. My Father, the Mighty King, as you may have surmised by now, is the Most High Creator Jah, some may call H.I.M. God. My Father's birth name is Ras Tafari Makonnen, born July 23, 1892. He was baptised Haile Selassie the First which means "Power of the Trinity." When He was crowned the 224th Emperor of Ethiopia in 1930, He began to use baptismal name exclusively. His title is His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I "King of kings, Lord of lords, Conquering Lion of the tribe of Judah." Now you see why I call H.I.M. Mighty. My Father's lineage is from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, the line of David. This is how I was born with royal blood.  

Through the years, my Father has always been with me, guiding me, comforting me, disciplining me, loving me. I have always had a close relationship with H.I.M. and He has been here for every important moment in my life, in fact, He has been responsible for them. There are some who don't comprehend our relationship because I, even as an adult, try to be completely obedient to my Father and that obedience has led me to a lifestyle (or livity) that many people would not choose. But, Father knows best. There are those who make fun of my dread locked hair or wonder why I won't cut it and get a perm or weave, but this is a covenant I have made with my Father, a symbol of my devotion to H.I.M. He has asked me to live naturally, abandoning ingesting animal flesh and chemicals such as drugs, and to live humbly, not revealing my body to the world and becoming a servant of my fellow man/woman. I do these things for my Father because I know He is asking me to do what is best for me. He has given me so much, I trust H.I.M. implicitly.

Many fathers have this same love for their children and are committed to doing what is best for them, even if the child can't see it at the time. It is selfless love. I think the importance of a father in a female child's life has been overlooked in the past. But a father is the first man a girl will ever love. Often, he becomes the standard she uses when choosing a mate or a male friend. Without that example, young women are left to their own devices when trying to figure out what a good man looks like, and some of them never solve that puzzle. Young boys need a father to learn how to be a good man. Many women have succeeded in raising young boys into good men on their own. It is, however, much easier when a boy has someone he can model. That is what children do, they model the behaviors of adults. So if you are a father, or you spend time around children, you should be cogniscent of your behavior because they are watching you and learning from you.

For many years, I was under the impression that since my biological father, the first man in my life, chose not to be in it, I was somehow unworthy of a man's love. I didn't always know that this is how I felt. When I realized that my Father, the Mighty King, has always been in my life and always loved me unconditionally, even when I didn't love myself, I began to look within and see how false that impression was. He raised me, and for that I am eternally thankful. Fathers, it is never too late to show up in your child's life. Even if you have been physically there, make sure you are emotionally and spiritually there for them too. It is no small thing, fatherhood. It may be the biggest and greatest thing you ever do. Get it right.

For those of you who still haven't figured it out, my Father, the Mighty King, is your Father too. I am your sister. You may call H.I.M by a different name, He may ask different things of you, but we are related. Check in with our Father today and let H.I.M. know you love H.I.M.