On Father's Day: What My Baba Taught Me About Resilience

posted on: Jun 21, 2026

By: Faris Alami / Arab America Contributing Writer

As some celebrate Father’s Day, others remember fathers who are no longer with us, and still others are unable to celebrate for many reasons. Whatever Father’s Day means to you, I hope it brought moments of gratitude, reflection, and peace.

I find myself thinking about my Baba (the Arabic word for Dad) and one of the many lessons he taught me: resilience.

My Baba experienced major setbacks in 1948, 1956, 1967, 1990, and again in 2000, and smaller ones in between. These were not just difficult moments. More than once, he had to start over from scratch after losing homes, memories, savings, businesses, and much of what he had spent years building.
Yet, despite all of this, I never saw him give up.

He rarely complained. He did not seek recognition or sympathy. Instead, he focused on what he could control. Quietly and behind the scenes, he worked to rebuild what had been lost and recover what had been taken. He never stopped believing that tomorrow could be better than today.

Looking back, I realize these were not simply life lessons. They were leadership lessons.
As entrepreneurs, leaders, and professionals, we all experience setbacks. Markets shift. Opportunities disappear. Contracts are lost. Technology disrupts. Years of hard work can sometimes seem to vanish overnight. 

In those moments, I often think about the example my father set. My greatest inheritance was not material wealth. It was his mindset.

He taught me that resilience is not the absence of pain or hardships, but the willingness to keep moving forward despite them — that setbacks are chapters, not conclusions, that dignity and faith matter, and that hope is a choice.

He often said: “Focus on what you can control, rebuild when you must, and never let what was taken from you define who you are.”

He also taught me humility, patience, generosity, and the importance of treating others with dignity and respect. He taught me to remain hopeful, to stay grounded in faith, and to remember that success is not measured solely by what we accumulate, but by the lives we touch and the values we leave behind.

Over the years, I have come to appreciate the importance of reflection — because it allows us to grow. It transforms experiences into wisdom, setbacks into lessons, and pain into purpose. Without reflection, we simply go through life. With reflection, we learn from it.

As I have grown, I have come to appreciate these lessons even more. Reflection helps us see things differently. It allows us to revisit experiences with greater wisdom and gratitude. In many ways, growth is not only about moving forward. It is also about looking back, understanding where we came from, and appreciating those who helped shape us.

At the same time, I am reminded that while my father played a major role in shaping me, I have been blessed to learn from so many others: My mother, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, neighbors, friends, mentors, colleagues, and clients. Even strangers have contributed lessons, perspectives, and experiences that helped shape who I am. 

None of us grows alone. We are all influenced by those who came before us and those who walk beside us.

And while some are celebrating Father’s Day today, I also recognize that some are remembering, grieving, separated from loved ones, or simply unable to celebrate. To all of you: Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.

Baba, thinking of you in heaven and grateful for the lessons you left behind, which continue to guide me every day as a son, husband, father, entrepreneur, and leader.

Thank you for showing me that no matter how many times life forces us to start over, we can always choose faith, hope, dignity, and the courage to move forward.

Praying for peace, justice, and dignity. May the oppressed find relief, may aggressors be defeated, and may goodness prevail over evil.

May Allah grant you the highest place in Jannah.
 Forever grateful. Forever your son.

Faris Alami is an entrepreneur, strategist, and economic development leader who has helped startups, nonprofits, and global companies grow through innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurship.

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