Phay Phay

by Hla Min

Updated : June 2025

Background

• ဖေဖေ & အဖေ mean “Father”.
• Father’s Day is celebrated on the 3rd Sunday in June.

Three Generation of Fathers

First Generation

• My beloved father
• He had NDE (Near Death Experience) in his teens. The doctors said that he had three months to live, but thanks to Kadok Sayagyi (ကတုတ်ဆရာကြီး၊ Indigenous Medicine Expert) he lived to be a father of seven and grandfather of eleven.
• He was a Jack of all Trades and Master of Some. He was not an Architect, but he built pagodas and houses (for him and his younger brothers).
• He passed away in his 80s.
• He would be 109 in July 2025.

Second Generation

• Yours truly
• I am a Lifelong Learner.
• I am a former academic and Software Engineer.
• I have two sons and two grandchildren.

Third Generation

• My elder son
• He is an Industrial Engineer.
• He has a daughter & a son. Both are excellent in studies and extra-curricular activities.

Old Poem

Be kind to your father
For when you were young
Who loved you as fondly as he
He caught the first accent that fell from your tongue
And joined in the heavenly glee

Be kind to your father
For now he is old
His hair intermingled with grey
His footsteps are feeble — Once fearless and bold
Your father is passing away

Morals & Manners

We had to study “Morals & Manners” at St. Paul’s High School. Brother Austin rewarded those who could recite poems in the book.