My Dad is a very simple man who never wants for much. He is now retired so he and mum go out a lot more than they used to, but while we were growing up, Dad used to go to work and come home and that’s about it. He has never had any significant hobbies and doesn’t spend much money. He is also not a keen traveller but every now and then, Mum will drag him off somewhere. Dad enjoys cooking and eating and when ever I go over there, before both feet are in the door, he tells me what he has cooked or is going to cook today and asks me if would I like some. I think this constant offering of food is a Burmese thing which sadly, for all my visitors, I have not adopted myself.
Many years ago, when I was in my late teens or in my early twenties I looked at my Dad and wondered if he was happy with his simple life. So, I asked him, “Dad, what makes you happy?” and without giving my question much thought, he answered, “seeing you and your sister happy.”
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| My Dad and I when I was a bub |
I remember walking away from that conversation thinking ‘Wow. That’s really sad!’ and I genuinely felt sorry for him for not being able to say something else. I was pretty self-centred and selfish back then and my reaction to my Dad’s answer is a true reflection of this. I just couldn’t get my head around it. But now, after all these years, I sometimes think about what he said. And I totally get it.
Even though I may have more interests and enjoy getting out and about more than my Dad, these days, if someone were to ask me what makes me happy, I can honestly say that seeing my girls happy would be right up there at the top of my list. Becoming a parent has made me look at life differently. Seeing Emma and Chloe’s faces light up with joy makes my heart sing. There is nothing better.
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| Recent happy moments |
I guess when I was young, it was quite normal to make everything about myself. I used to be one of those really annoying people obsessed with my own birthday. I would do a countdown and expect those around me to make a really big deal of it too. These days, I am more excited about Emma’s (and soon to be Chloe’s!) birthdays and I enjoy celebrating them much more than I do my own. It’s Emma’s 5th birthday at the end of next month and Chloe will be turning one in August so I have already got party ideas swarming in my head.
Now that I am older, I am a lot closer to my parents. I share more of myself with them than I ever did and I love telling them about things that have happened that made me happy because I understand exactly how much it means to them.
Have your children had any recent happy moments that made your heart burst with joy? I love hearing these beautiful stories so please share!
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