"Do ordinary things with extraordinary love." -Mother Teresa
November 1st is just around the corner. If only I could live even just one day all over again with my dad. Let me share fond memories of happy times stored in my memory bank.
HAPPY RIDE TO SCHOOL
Pops and I enjoyed our morning ritual. We laughed about anything and everything as he drove me to school daily. More than the traditional father-daughter scenario of serious advice and words of wisdom, we were two buddies sharing stories from a day in our lives.
HALO-HALO @ ARISTOCRAT BY THE BAY
Even in adulthood, I enjoyed the gift of time as Papa’s girl. Like two giggly kids, we used to go to Aristocrat by the bay and order a huge halo-halo for sharing. Certainly, we could have placed two solo orders, but that would not have been any fun.
GREETING CARDS AND SPECIAL MUGS
Pops was a master at finding the perfect inspirational greeting card to give me specially when I was feeling blue. I often wondered how long he must have stayed in National Book Store going through each and every card, just to find the perfect one for me.
And to this day, I hold near and dear to my heart that mug he brought me from his trip to Canada. It says: You Are Loved. How many children receive validation the way I did from my dad?
The gift of time… How much time did he spend finding those treasures for me?
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
I was not the perfect daughter - nor was he the perfect dad. But he showed me unconditional love, acceptance and understanding. Through the years, I had no idea how extraordinarily lucky and blessed I was. It was only years later that I realized not many adults had experienced simple joys like I did with Pops.
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
I wish I had told my dad how much joy he gave me when he spent time with me on simple days with no special occasion.
Is there someone special who gives you the precious gift of time?
– Who will you miss most when they’re gone?
– What will you miss doing when they are no longer with you?
– When will you tell them how grateful you are for the moments you spent together?
Don’t take time for granted. ‘Life is fleeting. Tomorrow is not promised.’