Father’s Day 2013

Tom Olsen Cook

It’s Sunday morning and the house is quiet, apart from the occasional rustling of cats. I need to make myself a coffee and have a few quiet moments before the busy day begins.

It’s Father’s Day in Australia.

While I’ll spend time celebrating with my children I’m also aware that this will be my twelfth Father’s Day without my own dad. Dad passed away in August 2002, just a few days before his 83rd birthday and around a month before Father’s Day of that year.

I can hear the cats again. I’m not sure what they’re doing. I’m just hoping they not destroying anything but even if they are, I’ll forgive them. I love cats. Most probably because my dad loved cats. He loved most animals ….. but especially cats.

I really do miss dad but it’s not with an overwhelming sadness because I know he’s in a better place and I know I’ll see him again one day.

I still wish he was able to see Emily and James growing up into the wonderful young people that they’re becoming and to get to know Pauline even better.

I wish I could sit down and hear him tell me one of his stories …. again …. and again.

It’s been interesting over the last year or so to have found out a little bit more about our family history as various member of our extended family have been posting bits and pieces to a Facebook page. Earlier this year we even met up with some family members on the Gold Coast and filled in a few more blanks. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older that the events of the past that have helped to make us what we are today seem to be of more interest and carry more significance.

While it’s fascinating to find out facts about those people from the past that I never knew, I wish even more that I had known dad better while he was here. His job meant that he was away for many weeks or even months at a time when I was growing up, and as he was almost 44 when I was born, there was a distance in time between us that was often hard to bridge.

I look forward to a new day when we’ll catch up on everything we’ve missed over the years.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” – Revelation 21:4

 



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About the author

Rodney Olsen

Rodney is a husband, father, cyclist, blogger and podcaster from Perth Western Australia.

He previously worked in radio for about 25 years but these days he spends his time at Compassion Australia, working towards releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name.

The views he expresses here are his own.

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2 Comments

  • Hi Rodney,
    Happy Father’s Day to you.
    I have that same feeling you have, of wanting to be closer to my father. I am so thankful to have had a great godly dad who is loving and encouraging, who is still alive today. I am still getting to know him.
    I also say amen to your desire to grow in relationship with your dad, and probably many others, in the eternal life we will have in Christ. Cheers and God bless.

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