(This is from a few years back!)
The Things Men Do.
Back in the early 1950's Da had to leave home, leave his wife and family of three young kids, leave his country and his friends, leave a way of life.
It was a bad time, no work, no money, the only thing to do was to 'take the boat', go to England, hope to find work on the building sites and send money home every week to provide for his family. And this he did this for ten years. Ten years!
The things men will do for their families. (I presume this is why there is a ten year gap between me and the big bro!)
And yes, I know women are just as capable of such things, and DO such things, and make sacrifices and accomplish extraordinary feats when it comes to caring and providing for their loved ones. But today I am talking about Dads/Husbands.
And the things they do to provide for, and protect those who are 'life itself'!
And I don't know about the rest of the world, but us celtic men are probably a bit 'old fashioned' when it comes to the 'providing and protecting' thing. No, now that I think about it, I'm sure it's not just us, I think all Dads/Husbands must be the same the world over. And all Mams/Wives too for that!
I just know I would do anything to protect my kin, would suffer any pain if it meant shielding them. Would lay down my life if it came to it, and that is not a boast, just fact. What man wouldn't step in front of his wife or child to take the force of a blow? And I know 'quite a few' people who are like me.
And I can think of one in particular.
A timely reminder of how hard life cou8ld be for ordinary families.
ReplyDeleteTen years. What he must have missed.
Pat; Aye. And it seems, at the same time to be so long ago and yrt just like yesterday.
ReplyDeleteHave a happy holiday you two. :¬)
xxx
yrt = yet! (Should've gone to Specsavers!) :¬)
ReplyDeletexxx
But sadly there are way to many that pick up and bolt at the first sign of commitment...
ReplyDeleteIn 1971 my dad went to work in Romania as there was nothing to be had in England. I was 13yrs old & I still remember the effect it had on my family.
ReplyDeleteIn the 90's, my husband had to look outside of South Africa (my home) for work. It lasted several years. Financially we benefitted from it, but 20yrs down the line, my son has 'issues' that his dad had to work away from home.
A couple of years ago, my daughterbylaw was offered work in her home country, SA. Times were tough & she accepted a 6mth contract.
3 generations in my immediate family Mapstew, have had to leave the home to work elsewhere. It screws life up in so many ways, but I'm proud that we've all managed to hold things together! Love & strength are the qualities we so often take for granted :-)
My father moved for work for a year to Philadelphia when I was 16 -- quite a distance from Minneapolis! I had three part-time jobs at the time, to help pay bills. I particularly remember when the potato fields on the edge of town had been harvested -- my mother sent me and my boyfriend out at night with a burlap bag to collect what the machines had left behind. "It's not stealing," she said, "they've already been through and the rest will rot. Just don't get caught!"
ReplyDeleteWe ate a lot of potatoes that winter!!
Pearl
This makes me appreciate even more the fact my Dad only had to "travel" out of town a couple of days a week!
ReplyDeleteStanding ovation for men who proudly take/took care of their families!
amen, bubba. *sigh* xoxoxoxo
ReplyDeleteIt was a great post then and it's still great today. Do I know this "one in particular?" I think I might.
ReplyDeleteto your father, map - to that other one you can think of in particular - and to all fathers [parents] who have made such sacrifice - bravo -
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