‘I know the brave in me comes from you’
Hi Daddy,
Kamusta? It’s winter in Sydney and I feel the cold a little more these days. I just pulled a shot of espresso for my morning cup, and while it’s good, it doesn’t compare to the coffee you make back home—kapeng barako—plus egg pizzas and warm pandesal. Your coffee just hits differently—brave, bold, no fuss, full of character. Just like you.
I used to hear how you left your province in the Visayas while most of your siblings stayed. Back then, I thought moving was just something people did. But now that I’m away from home, too, I understand the weight of that decision. To leave everything familiar and start from scratch—that’s brave. And that kind of brave has always been you.
I saw it in how you lived. You chose consistency over comfort, showed up even when it was hard, and gave us a life rooted in love and strength. I know the brave in me comes from you.
These days, I’m on my own kind of journey. And when I feel small or unsure, I think of you—and I remember I come from someone strong.
Happy Father’s Day, Dadi. Thank you for all the ways you’ve led with courage, and for passing on a kind of strength that lives on in me. Kiss Yakult for me, please.
With braveness, black coffee, and egg pizzas,
Margo
Jose Margo Flores, owner of Taguan Cafe with branches in Baguio and Sydney, is the son of Jesse Flores.
