After watching a TED Talk, I was inspired to pen this letter to my father, Jose Idicula. The TED Talk, in particular, was given by the father of Malala Yousafzai. After watching the piece, I realized how much I took for granted and how thankful I am to have a father just like Mr. Ziauddin Yousafzai is for his daughter.

Dear father,

You followed your dreams; thank you for letting me follow mine. You never pushed me to be anything or do anything that I didn’t want to do. Instead, you guided me and inspired me to experience and appreciate the things that interest me, and in the words of Mr. Yousafzai, "You didn’t clip my wings."

Thank you for being my biggest supporter and making sure I’m given the same freedoms as my brother. Out of your three kids, I know you are happy that I, a daughter, resembles you the most. I’m lucky to have a father that rejoiced my birth, even though I know there were many struggles you encountered for having another child so late in your life.

You made sure you were there for me and I had everything in order to pursue and live my life. Even today while attending college four hours away from home, I call you a billion times with questions, for advice and just to talk. Thank you for always picking up.

Mommy is just as great, but I want the world to know how much a dad can do for their child. I’m no Malala, but I hope to make you proud one day!

But thank you most of all for breaking gender roles. Recently, an Indian laundry detergent commercial went viral because it highlighted the real issue that women, even working women, are still expected to manage their household without help from their husbands. I want to thank my father for always going above and beyond to help my working mother with the chores, raising us and most of all the cooking. In my house, my father has made it clear that nothing is counted as a “woman’s job.”

I applaud you for being a great father, grandfather, dutiful son, husband and still finding the time to be faithful to God and do what you love most: write. Your writing inspires me, and I can only wish for my writing to be half as good as yours.