Stories from the Stringam Family Ranches of Southern Alberta

From the 50s and 60s to today . . .



Saturday, June 14, 2014

Thank you, Dad!

Tomorrow is Father's Day.
A little tribute to the most special father in my life!
Happy Father's Day, Honey!
My Hero
For most of his career, my Husby has worked for the Culture department in our province.
He enjoys it.
Building museums.
Refurbishing older exhibits.
It has been a constant adventure.
But he learned, as a civil servant, that gratitude was an accepted part of the job and very, very rarely expressed.
Case in point . . .
He and his team had been refitting an interpretive center.
They had been at it for three years.
Their job was finally drawing to a close.
Which allowed the center to open.
Ironic but true.
A grand gala was planned for the opening night.
With speeches by pertinent politicians.
And food.
Myself and our two younger children made the trip and were seated in the audience, happily anticipating hearing from our husby/father.
The evening wore on.
Speeches by many, many people. None of whom had even stepped foot in the building until that night.
Then, finally, just at the end of the evening, the MC announced my Husby.
The man who had organized and directed the entire operation.
The whole three years.
I was so proud of him.
He had worked hard, spending weeks and weeks on a project that took him far from home and family.
And he had done well.
I glanced around. I was surrounded by evidence of his careful, thoughtful, precise planning and execution.
We were now seated in a world-class center with the best and most advanced displays found anywhere.
The crowd had clapped politely as he stepped to the podium. Most of them had no idea of the part he had played.
But his family did.
My daughter suddenly whispered, "Come on! Let's do it!"
My children and I surged to our feet, cheering and clapping wildly.
The rest of the audience stared at us in stunned silence for a moment.
Then the smiles began.
And the applause.
No one else got up, but everyone there knew that this man was special. Deserving of what little praise we could give him.
He smiled at us, then, in his usual calm fashion said, "I have no idea who those people are."
Then, "And I didn't have to pay them much to do that!"
Much laughter and the tone of the entire evening was changed completely.
Later, one of the people with whom he had worked closely stopped me.
"We were so happy when your family did that," she said. "We would all have joined you, if we weren't already standing at the back!"
Dads get very little recognition for good deeds done in this life.
My daughter's advice? 'Let's do it!'
Sometimes all it takes is a little courage.

25 comments:

  1. Great story, and a wonderful tribute to your husband for Father's Day. He sounds like a great guy!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love this Diane... I'm happy you listened to your daughter... this is a sweet memory now:-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am, too, Launna! I was hesitant at the moment, but so glad I did it!

      Delete
  3. Beautiful, Diane! He deserved all of it, and I'm glad your daughter took the initiative!

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a sweet daughter you have and what an awesome husband!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Civil servants do occupy the bottom rung of public gratitude. Good for you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sad, but true, Joanne! Too bad there isn't someone in every audience ready to give them their due!

      Delete
  6. Awwwww….so sweet! What a great man!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Marcia! I think he and your Husby would get along just fine!

      Delete
  7. You made me cry again :) How sweet and touching, and how ... RIGHT, of your daughter and all of you to acknowledge your husband's huge effort and support him so well. Sniff.

    Happy Father's Day to your Husby and all the great dads out there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She's made of the right stuff, that's for sure! And thank you, Jenny!

      Delete
  8. I feel the same way about my hubby he's never built anything, although he is working on building me a birdhouse. He is not mechanically inclined about anything. He works everyday at a job he isn't happy with so I can have excellent healthcare. He doesn't ever pass somebody broke down without asking them if they need help. He takes care of me at times when I am unable because of my Felty's Syndrome, which means he's also my mom's backup caregiver. He deals with the stress everyday with a smile and laughing. Everyday he finds some special way to show me that I mean everything to him. What do you get someone like that for Father's Day... I'm terribly unromantic (grew up with 4 brothers)I bought him a package of new boxers! And a card.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rena, this is lovely.

      And funny at the end :)

      Delete
    2. Wonderful man! Nothing says love like new boxers!

      Delete
  9. What a lovely story. Sounds like a special man - and a special family!

    ReplyDelete
  10. That was very nice of you and your kids to stand up for your husby. I'm sure he appreciated it very much.
    Your Dad has a nice face with a nice smile.

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a wonderful story. He sounds like a great man. Wishing him a Happy Father's Day.

    ReplyDelete

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