I love my Dada very much. He is a knowledgeable man, but he isn't above being wrong and he will listen to anyone if they have a point to make. He gives his whole self to things to the point of obsession but it comes from a place of deep caring. The people he gathers around him he would do just about anything for and he shows more love then he will ever understand.
Those things are all true, and yet he considers himself an asshole, an unkind person. Sure he can be blunt and absolutely he has no patience for stupid, but chances are, if he is telling you something you don't want to hear, it's your own fault for asking. People flock to my Dada for advice and guidance and when they do that he gives his honest opinions. He will tell you the things you don't want to tell yourself and if that makes him an asshole, then he's proud to wear that badge.
But when you tell yourself something over and over you start to believe it. Sometimes it's very hard to hear him talk about himself like he is the bad guy, when really he is a great man. I do my best to make him feel worthy of all the love he gets. I get to see those softer moments when he is questioning himself and it makes me happy that I can be his support in those time as he is so often for me.
I think it's easy to forget that these pillars of strength in our lives have a breaking point and are vulnerable too. It's easy to forget when you are used to being taken care of, that all these little things you need to feel secure and loved are work and are taxing, even though they would not give it up for anything. I think we can take for granted things that are given to us, and that we should make sure that with all that we are taking, we are giving back with as much heart as we are given this care