Dad celebrates 80!

Today is the day of the party. All went well; the food was great and the fellowship incredible. I believe everyone had a good time…. And they all loved the cake.I want to share with you what I shared with the group that had gathered to celebrate the live of my father. This may be longer than my usual postings, but I felt I should share my “speech” in it’s entirely.

A lot of things happened on May 29. Some important things… some people who changed their worlds. For example, Oswald Spengler was born on May 29, 1880. He was a German philosopher of history and he taught us:

“This is our purpose: to make as meaningful as possible this life that has been bestowed upon us; to live in such a way that we may be proud of ourselves; to act in such a way that some part of us lives on.”

For me personally, May 29 is a very important date as well – for if it were not my dad’s date of birth, I would not be here today. So I think you can understand why I would think it a day of utmost importance in my life! I believe my dad lived his life with as much meaning as he possibly could. He can be proud of how he lived for he lived in a way that part of him will always live on in his friends and family.

Now 80 years is a long time. I admit, I’ve only know this man for about 55 of those years.. Some of you have known him much longer. In fact, I think my Onkel Henri here is the only person that I know of that can actually say he’s known my dad for all of 80 years.

80 years is a lot of experiences! And it’s through those experiences that memories are made and wisdom is shared. And that’s what my dad did. He’s a master at creating memories – because he’s a memorable guy. But there are a couple of memories that helped make me the person that I am today. Let me share them with you.

If I had to discribe my father with one trait that makes him who he is, that would be a tough one to answer… I would have to debate between his loyalty, or maybe his generosity? No wait, maybe it’s his faithfulness?

The list is too long and there are so many things to choose from… but there is one characteristic of my day that I have admired, respected, and even envied, for years. My dad knows how to stay connected. … By that I mean, once my dad makes your acquaintace you’re a friend of his for life. Growing up, my dad was the letter writer… and he wrote letters all the time. And sent cards, regularly. He was almost like the post man – there every day.

I’m not talking about a short hand written note – but real letters. Now probably in the 50’s when he first came to Canada, he probably had to write the letters long hand, but I remember the fancy typewriter dad used in the 60’s. (Well, it was fancy in the 60’s). Every letter was typed with carbon papper… and he filled that page – full of details of happenings in Edmonton. When I say filled, I mean FULL. There was little spacing, barely a margin… and sometimes he’s even turn the paper on it’s side and fill the margin.

I’m not sure who he all wrote to in those days, but I know many of the letters went to Germany… then to Detroit, … and to Cranbrook… and Ontario…. Places where family lived… places where best friends moved to…

And he always kept the carbon copies – filed them in these special folders… year after year. He still has them. I know… because a couple of years ago mom and dad and I were trying to remember the details of something that happened in the 60’s.. and we couldn’t agree. Then dad said… I know, I’ll go look it up. Next thing I knew we were flipping through letters filled with details of our lives 40 years ago….. and in no time, the discussion was ended as dad found the letter that he wrote his sister about the event in question.

Ok, it’s one thing to stay connected with best friends and family… but no… my dad likes to connect. And as he travelled, he met more people… that meant more people to write letters to. Sometimes he’d meet people a a convention, or a missionary at church, or at the home of another friend… or through friends of friends, even my friends. Didn’t matter to dad how he met you, once connected you’re always connected.

And not only would he stay connected by letter, but also by visits. I’ve lost count as to how many cities and states my dad has someone to go have coffee with. In fact, other than our many camping trips when I was growing up, almost all of our vacations were designed to take us to go visit as many people has dad could. I think he’d take out his address book, the maps, and then plan our trip.

Of course, over the years, the way my dad stayed connected changed. When he got his first computer in the 80’s, that made letter writing so much easier. Then with the advent of email and internet in the 90’s – well I think Dad was in connection heaven. Now he could stay connected and he didn’t even have to pay postage.

I think the reason that I am so fascinated by this special trait of my dads is that I see all the letters, Christmas cards, Christmas emails that mom and dad get every year…. And I’m truly amazed. You see, every year for decades, my dad received letters from people I went to college with… several of my college friends…. Even one couple that was my best friend while I was in high school. And all of these folks make it a point to have coffe with my mom and dad when my friends come to Edmonton.

Now remember when I first mentioned this trait I said I envied it… well that’s because I don’t’ have this trait. If I want to find out what’s happening or if my friends are grandparents yet, I don’t wait for my mailman… I wait for my dad’s. I don’t get Christmas cards from these gals, just my dad does. But that’s because he knows how to stay connected. He always has. Just remember, you’re all in his address book – you’re all connected. That’s a rather special place to be.

I didn’t mean to be to chatty… but turning 80 doesn’t happen often so I want to share something that I think is special about my dad. And that it. Connections. Building relationships. Staying in tune. That’s my dad.

There is another side of my dad that I have always thought to be very special. … couple things that made my dad different from all the other dads when I was growing up. My dad loves to play games… chess, canasta, crib, you name it. I think Rolf (my brother) and I knew how to play canasta by the time we were 7. And in the 60’s, Friday night was chess night. And my children learned to play games very young… and a family visit isn’t complete without the cards coming out. Even while Heather’s living in Calgary, she’s phone to make plans to come home for a weekend or holiday, but her first question would always be, when are we going to Oma’s & Opa’s to play canasta. Not every dad plays with their children the way my dad did with us.

The last thing I consider special about my dad is that he’s an exploxer. Well, at least the last thing I’ll mention today or we’ll be here all day.

Yes, my dad loved to explore. And I so benefitted from that. He and mom both loved exploring. And when we were young they took Rolf and I camping a lot! In the summers, I think we were at lake every weekend and of course we’d play games till all hours . But apart from the weekends, we’d have a family vacation just about every summer. And we’d discover America. From those first trips to Banff to the several trips to Detroit and Ontario. Growing up, so many of my friends thought they’d gone on a big trip if they went to Pigeon Lake for the summer…. Every summer. Boring. I’d got to see 5 of the Canadian provinces… and countless states. In fact, we were in the US the day that NASA put a man on the moon. What a prividege to experience that in America! Yes, I do love travelling and I love America. My kids often wonder why I am so in love with discovering the US – and I think it’s because the seeds to explore where put into my heart when I was 6… and I feel so priviledge to have been able to experience so many travel locations… from the mountains, the oceans, the great lakes and everything between. Most of my friends never got past Pigeon Lake (an hour from home). Thank you dad, for being an adventurer. Rolf & I got to see a lot of our world because of you.

Now, it will be a while before I catch up with my dad’s travels. I tried to count where he’s all been…. And from what I could piece together, in the past 80 years, my dad has been on three continents to travel in 14 countries. In Canada, the only provinces he hasn’t been in are PEI and Newfoundland and the Yukon . As for the states, I think he’s been in 22 of them… and next week when he’s in Alaska, he’ll be able to say that’s his 23 state! And for the most part, each trip has been a memory.

Memories are what make us who we are. Thanks dad, for all the great memories. They are special, just as you are.

Father, I thank you for the life of my father. You have blessed him in countless way and used him to bless hundreds of people, but most of all, to bless me. I ask that you give him many more years of good health and allow him to be surrounded by friends and family who love him.