Father and daughter use WhatsApp to break down barriers

This is a story about a father and daughter.

For many years they lived oceans apart. Some days, keeping in touch was done at ease. They were like friends making small talks about what had happened that day. On other days, making a phone call was extremely difficult. Different time zone, misunderstanding, and arguments had built layers of walls between them.  Sometimes one person would be talking into the receiver, while the other listened passively by setting the receiver aside to take a breathe from it all.

Despite going through this cycle for years, there was always this deeply rooted motivation to connect and have a better relationship.

When the father discovered WhatsApp, sharing moments in their lives became somewhat easier. WhatsApp never replaced opportunities for a phone call. With instant messenger, they could snap a photo and share it with each other immediately.  Actually, the time difference created a delightful way to start the day, or wind down before bedtime. The dad would wake up to see a photo of his daughter hanging out with friends. The daughter would salivate over her dad’s dinner upon waking up in the morning.

WhatsApp also helped to share emotion that was hard to articulate with each other on the phone. Instead of using words, they exchanged songs, lyrics, or pictures to depict what was going through in their mind.

On one occasion the daughter noticed her dad was bothered by something, but she couldn’t figure out why.  She shared this with her fiancé. 

Her fiancé said to her, “try saying ‘I love you’ to your dad.”

She said, “I love you? Oh, it’s just not that easy to say.”

“Well, then try to send a message to him. Something like ‘Love you dad – thinking of you.’”

She listened to her fiancé’s advice.  The next day, the daughter and father were able to share more and more with each other!

Jup’s Reflection

“I love you” – these three words are simple, yet comforting to hear. When someone says these words to you, they give you this reassurance that this person is thinking of you. This unconditional love washes away all frustration and misunderstanding. And, it brings hope.  May this story encourages you. No matter what you’re going through with your loved ones, take that extra step when you’re ready. These three words could change your situation around. May we develop a passion for building family relationships. I hope this story has #JupYouUp! Have a wonderful day. A new day…a new beginning!