Tomorrow is
Fathers Day when we spoil, acknowledge and honour our dads.
I was very
blessed to grow up in a home with a dad and a mom. My dad worked for Eskom for many years and so our life was very
stable and secure. I had a very happy
childhood and many conversations were held around the family dinner table.
My dad
loves gardening. When we were children,
come weekends, he would mow the lawn and gather us girls to help when this task
was being done. We either had to rake
or hold the dustbin bag open for him to empty the grass cuttings into from grass
catcher. We would often perch
ourselves up on the big rock in the garden and loose sight of what we were
supposed to do or play with Sheba our Border Collie while waiting to be
summoned. :-) I think my love for
gardening developed at a very young age as I spent many hours in the garden
either alone or with my dad. We were
often asked to water the garden. I know
how important it is now, I’ll come home from work to find my poor plants bedraggled
from thirst!
Holidaying
was always much fun for us as a family as it was then that my dad really got to
relax and be himself. He loved going
for early morning walks on holiday and generally I would always go walking with
him. I was an early riser then. Most of our walks were on the Natal coast,
Clansthal and then Amanzimtoti when my parents purchased a holiday flat
there. I remember the early morning
smells of the Frangipani flowers, seeing big snails and just enjoying the
holiday and change of scenery. I
remember one year there had been a flood in Natal and a lot of debris had
washed up on the beach at Amanzimtoti.
My dad has an eye to turn something out of nothing. We collected the most amazing driftwood and
carried this lot up to the holiday flat.
I remember laughing so much from the weight of the wood that both my dad
and myself had to put it down to stop laughing. When we arrived back at the flat with all this driftwood, my mom
would give us a look and say something like “Ag no, what you going to do with
all that wood”. My dad had plans for
lamp stands, garden features etc. It
was fun. Just this past holiday I
brought some interesting pieces of driftwood home for my garden!!
My dad has
always been very active in the garden and would always end up slaving away in
my garden when coming to visit. I can
just hear my mom “dear, be careful your back”!
Thanks dad for all the hard work you put into my different gardens. Thank you for all the plants you have dug
out of your garden on your hands and knees for me to bring home to my
garden. I remember you climbing onto a
rooftop of a building at our house in Felixton. Mommy just shaking her head in disbelief. We had fun in St Lucia and Mapelane.
It would be
impossible to sum up a lifetime of incredible memories and the wonderful
precious times we have spent together.
I look forward to all the special times we can still spend
together. Dad, you have taught me invaluable life lessons
from your life and poured a wealth of knowledge about different things into my
life. You have encouraged time with God
and made a special effort to find me a devotional book like the one you have
been reading as it touched your life in such a special way. You’re the best dad ever, you always looking
out for things that support our interests and end up going more than the extra
mile to do so much for your daughters.
It is said
that children are a blessing from God, but I know for certain that Dads are
too, especially mine.
I love you
Dad and pray God richest blessing on you and in your life today and the years
to come!!
Kisses and
hugs
Janine
