Wednesday 28 December 2011

Father's Day - Giving or Receiving?

Are you a dad? Do you have a dad? We all do don't we!
Do you relate to Father's Day? I know guys who do and I know a lot of fathers who don't mainly because of its commerciality. It just one 156-910.71 practice exam big buy, buy, buy phenomenon.
This was my outlook for years and years. I managed quite successfully (sometimes) to get the message through that a telephone call or a card will do. It's amazing how one's children forget things like this and only after 12 months. And there I would be, minding my own business, and a child daughter arrives with package in hand. My protestations never went far.
It's not that I was a bah humbug type of person, it was more to do with the notion that for me it was no big deal. In those days though, I was different person than I am today. What I missed back then was that it was important to my daughters that they remembered me on that day.
So the real change happened to me a about 18 months ago, 6 months before Fathers Day.
I had one of those ah ha moments with respect to my daughters.
Let me explain.
The ah-ha moment happened after a conversation I had with each daughter. I decided that they were old enough to look after themselves and I told them so. I suggested that if they wanted advice from me they would have to ask for it, I was never going to give unsolicited advice again. Now that, in itself, is story 1Y0-259 practice exam for another time. What happened after these conversations was quite extraordinary---something new developed in my relationship with my daughters. There was a new respect, a deeper connection and a more developed love. It has been incredible.
So what has this to do with Fathers Day?
I made a decision that Fathers Day was not only a celebration of my daughters' relationship with me, it would also be a celebration of my gratitude for having two beautiful daughters who are such an important part of my life.
To put it simply, I would thank them for being so special to me.
How does one do this? Well, I had to think about that because I didn't want it to become commercial. I wanted it special. Last year, I got to work and engraved two small perspex plates with a quote (from me) which I attached to a small timber block, wrapped them in paper with a card and presented it too them. It was a lovely occasion, one that I will remember for a long time, and I notice both my daughters still have their gifts.
This year, what am I doing? Artwork, especially for them. Yes, the masterpieces are done, took me a couple of days and I finished them a few days before father's day.
Call to Action.

Your call to action is to understand that what you give, you receive hundreds of times over. Every day, have gratitude for the small wonderful things in your life, like the sound of your child's laughter, the look your son or daughter gives you when you communicate with him or her, and how he or she feels to you when you give them a hug.
Don't have access to your children? Maybe you need to give me or someone a call, especially if you need a bit of help.
What I do when I receive my gift from my 6301 daughters is give something in return that reminds them that they are so special to me.
And of course, the great stuff that happens to me as I'm preparing their gifts is work bottling, I love that feeling.

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