I lost my Dad a few weeks ago. It was way too sudden. Initially, I wasn’t ready to say good-bye. Not because of unspoken love – we said it often; I wasn’t ready because I felt I hadn’t learned all I could from him.
Dad was a gentleman – in every sense of the word. He had an extraordinary mind, and he understood the world with intellect and wisdom gained from incredibly diverse life experiences.
His own father was a WWI veteran – a deeply disturbed ANZAC, like so many other young men who went to war to protect the motherland.
The fallout of this war had tremendous ramifications for Dad, and then there was also WWII, with all its implications.
Little wonder he chose a private way of being.
It’s still early days since his passing, and the emotions will continue to unfold. I know now, though, that I am ready to say good-bye. I have, in fact, learned all I could from Dad. He gave me a remarkable life with him – and that’s everything.
Men like my father are our nation’s greatest educators. They understand humility, sacrifice, faith, loyalty, optimism, discipline and generosity. They know the difference between knowledge, experience and application. They aren’t afraid of responsibility.
They also know that ‘teacher’ is merely a job title and that real teaching requires, and is, so much more.
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