Memories Of Those Near and Dear

Do you have a favourite memory of you and your dad? With Father's Day just around the corner, it is nice to reminisce about the good 'ol days.

Michelle Tupy, a writer and dear friend of mine, wrote this about her dad many years ago. It resonated with me then, as it still does now.

"As a young girl, I remember the excitement felt whenever I had the chance to spend time with my father on the farm. Whilst he was probably not doing anything more than just going about his regular duties, being with him was what mattered most to me. I can remember my father whistling commands to the dogs as they corralled the sheep into the pens. I held tightly onto his rough and calloused hands as we crossed the paddock to close the gate behind the last of the sheep.

I watched with wide-eyed fascination as my dad wrestled sheep after sheep to get them into just the right position for shearing. I remember the sweat pouring down his forehead as he worked tirelessly shearing one sheep after another pausing occasionally to have a drink of water and give me a smile.

Later we would go back to the house in our old battered ute. I rode in the front, feeling like a princess, with my dad next to me and the dogs barking in the back."

It wasn't a particularly special moment. As a country girl growing up in New South Wales back in the late 70s and 80s, riding around in the ute was probably a daily, if not a weekly, occurrence. But the thing that struck me the most was the fact that such a simple moment could be captured and frozen in time.

We all have those special moments - with our dads, our mums, our siblings, or our friends, and we hold onto them for as long as we can. It is those moments that get us through the tough times. It is those moments that we hold close to our chests as we lie in our beds willing sleep to come. It is those moments we escape to when we are tired, stressed or angry. 

They are the moments that we live for; they are the moments that make life worth living. 

Do you have a special memory that makes your heart sing?