Two questions, one answer.......

David’s (Authorblog) question this week is actually two:

• If you got the chance to go back to your childhood, whom would you like to say thank you to?
  
• When did you last write or receive a love letter?

If you would like to join in here’s what David would like you to do: Please answer today's question on your own blog, any time until next weekend. Just link to this blog (or to this post) so I can follow the progress of the discussion.


If I could go back to my childhood I would like to thank the person who has been the biggest influence in my life - my Dad. Luckily he is still with us, so I get to thank him without going back to my youth!

I do wish though that I had paid more attention, when I was a teenager, to what he told me, instead of thinking I knew everything – like teenagers do. I could have saved myself a lot of heartache. My Dad is the wisest person I know, and a man totally in touch with his feminine side, which in my book is so important.

When I was being bullied at school my Dad didn’t teach me to hit back, he taught me to be able to laugh at myself. If people are making fun of you, he explained, laugh with them - if they see you laughing at yourself they will stop tormenting you because the object of the exercise is to make you cry and if you’re not crying it’s fruitless! He taught me integrity and honesty. I once told him I knew someone at school had cheated in a test and got really good marks, he explained that they had only cheated themselves because if they didn’t know the answers the good marks meant nothing.

Dad taught me to always try my best at everything, no-one can expect more than your best, he told me, your best will always be good enough. He also taught me the joy of giving, the warm feeling you get by helping someone with whatever you are able to give – it doesn’t have to be money, your time is the greatest gift you can give.

Dad taught me to be compassionate and caring, to think of others, to make sacrifices. I am known as ‘Mrs Do As You Would Be Done By’, a philosophy my Dad instilled in me from an early age. Before you do anything think ‘how would I feel if someone did that to me’, if you wouldn’t like it then don’t do it, he insisted. He taught me that children are precious, to be nurtured and cherished, educated not only in facts but in emotions.

The most important thing my Dad taught me was unconditional love. A love so true and pure that it can lift you to heights some people can only dream of.

So my darling Dad – I thank you with all my heart for the lessons you taught me and for being the greatest Dad that anyone could wish for.

I Love You.
xxxx




Today was the last time I wrote a love letter.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

UPDATE ON MY DAD

Dad's doing fantastically well. Although officially he is supposed to use both crutches all the time for six weeks he's getting about on one and sometimes even none around the house! He's walked down to the local tram and gone to a neighbouring town playing bridge, he's even been on the bus! He's upbeat and eating well now (thank goodness, his eating has been a realy worry!). He's looking forward to spring to get out into his beloved garden and planning exactly which bits he's going to dig up. The new hip has given Dad a new lease of life. :)