Special Father's Day stories
Three Over60 community members share their memories with their dads, grandchildren or husbands ahead of Father’s Day this Sunday.
By Jane Lord, 61, from Sydney, New South Wales
“Looking back I caused my Dad untold anxiety. It was inadvertent on my part. I was ‘living my own lifestyle as I saw fit’. I came back to Sydney with my tail between my legs after living overseas in various places for 11 years – for which dad paid for the ticket. He brought me up ably assisted by my beautiful stepmother and welcomed me back with open arms. They insisted I ‘relaxed’ for a month with them on the central coast.
I started to look at employment ads after that. I went to Sydney for an interview with an employment agency and then the actual job interview where I am still employed 20-plus years later
I went home for a long weekend and proudly gave my Dad my new business card. Now this bloke was an eminent QC. The eyebrows bristled as he looked over his glasses with a growl and he said:
‘I didn't raise my daughter to be an insurance underwriter’ and then opened a bottle of champagne.”
“A child only knows honesty. I had just brought a new extension ladder and was proudly showing it to my 3-year-old grandson. He asked, ‘Why did I need a ladder?’
I told him it was to help me get up higher from the ground, to which he said in a very stern voice ‘But you are too fat grandpa to climb that ladder’. He was only caring for my wellbeing – out of the mouths of babes! Best wishes to all the fathers on Father’s Day 2014”
By Rhonda Hodges, 63, Bathurst, New South Wales
“This is a beautiful memory I have which still brings me undone. When our second child was a tiny baby, he was hard to settle. [My husband] Peter came home late every day due to his travel time for work. One night, I was caring for another child and he took the baby.
I couldn't find them nor hear any sound about 10 minutes later. He had sat down on the lounge and they were both asleep, the baby had his head tucked into Peter’s longish auburn beard and was sound asleep as was my very tired husband.
Although we have been apart for 25 years and all four children are grown with families themselves, this memory of sharing the load, no matter what, is still evocative for me.”