Today he turns 90!
Today, we celebrate my beautiful dad's 90th birthday. Yep, 90! It's remarkable and if you met him, you'd think I was mistaken. He has aged so incredibly well and looks like a spritely 80-year-old, and that's probably too high a number!! But what's even more remarkable is how his heart has aged; not his physical heart, although that's doing pretty well, his soul, his heart for life, love and people. The phrase young at heart has never been more fitting! To prove it, my 85-year-old mum is taking my dad on a two-night trip to Tooronga Zoo, Sydney, for his birthday. Why? To stay at the resort with the giraffes! Talk about a bucket list tick!
My dad is the very proud dad to four kids, three kids-in-law, Papa to more grandkids than he can count and five great-grandbabies with another on the way. We all adore him for many reasons. He has taught us all so much about living life and what a privilege it is to live life large and to the full!
As Dad turns 90, I've been thinking about all the things I've learned from him: what to do and perhaps what is better left undone.
So here are just a few:
It’s never too late to try something new. The other day, Dad went through the car wash for the first time, smiling big, just so I could go on my road trip to Adelaide with a clean car.
Sandwiches are a gift of love: He made them for me every day for school and still makes me one when I'm there for lunch (with the bread he's just baked!!)
There is great power in a two-armed hug to help make everything better.
A loving dad’s/Papa’s shoulders are broad enough to carry even the most broken of hearts.
Being a safe place when the world seems like it's out to get you is a precious gift to those around you (and requires patience and a belief that people are worth it).
Time is best invested in those you love and not in the things you do.
Relationships are worth investing in, especially those begun in kinder and school. Some of my parents' closest friends are those they've had for over 70 years.
No matter how old your kids are, you will still watch them reverse out of the driveway just to give advice and make sure they are okay.
You're never too old to join a gym, dance at a party, or play hide-and-seek. There are no words to describe the joy of watching my dad with my kids and grandbabies!
Find a hobby and social group and do it with your whole heart. It will help keep you young.
Sometimes love looks like wearing the princess crown your great-granddaughter has placed on your head just because it was your turn to dress up!
Aging disgracefully can be done brilliantly well.
Sometimes, it's hard to admit it's time to stop climbing ladders to fix the roof, but if you've done some of the things mentioned above, there will always be someone to help you do the job.
Life truly is a gift, and each day is worth fighting for…even if, on some days, that means sitting in your comfy chair, looking out at the trees while your best friend (puppy) sits on your lap and keeps you warm.
So this one’s for him: Happy birthday dad, I love you x
To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist. Oscar Wilde
