How do I count my riches?

On the eve of another birthday, I didn’t expect to do any introspection or reflection. There are times, I just want to be! However, I got this lovely note from my friend wanting me to narrate the story about my dad being Superman!

I really don’t know who is reading any of the posts on this blog. However, I know that there are only about a dozen friends and family who are aware of its existence. Even that number is a bit too much for a blog that is supposed to be “private”! Well, I am not perfect and I talk too much!

Personal tragic flaws aside, I am lucky indeed to have the people in my life. This friend of mine who sent me the note this morning is one of my 4 friends I have known since I was 17. The 5 of us live on 3 different continents and in 4 different countries. We literally “talk” to at least one of us on a daily basis. H is part of this connection and the friend I mention here will now be known as Chits – she is the least communicative of us all, but her little notes to us are like those little chits of paper that we as kids passed along to each other in a classroom that made us smile or giggle!

This one is for you Chits!

My Dad. My Superman.

We moved every 6 months to a year because of my dad’s work, and all we had was each other everywhere we went. When I was 5 or 6, my dad was posted in a small town. At that time, there were concerns about possible floods and how everything could be washed out. I heard someone talking and got worried. My dad reassured me that we would be safe no matter what because he would swim us all to safety! He would have me on one shoulder, my brother on the other and my mom on his back! I felt safe.

Later on, when I was 10-11, I found out that my dad didn’t know how to swim! I was devastated that he lied to us!

Then, we moved to Canada. I was 18-19 when my dad decided to learn to swim. He was very determined. He was over 40, but it didn’t stop him.

The truth of it was that he neither had the time nor the opportunity to learn swimming prior to that, but he always wanted to be the man who took care of his family. So he told a lie to make me feel safe…years later, he made sure it wasn’t simply a fantastic tale!

The fact that he is so human makes him that much of a superman…someone I can relate to and look up to!

Thanks Chits for getting me to write this one out!

 

There is no such thing as perfection. Beauty is in all our faults and flaws. It is our intent that must count at the end of the day.