Happy Father’s Day…. Well, Australian Father’s Day.
I find it quite interesting how far off holidays can be world wide. Christmas and Easter – yeah, they are the same time internationally. Halloween, not really celebrated in NZ or Australia – but random costume parties are had throughout the year. Thanksgiving, obviously, is a uniquely American holiday – though a lot Americans forget that and ask what I did for it (I think I’ll celebrate it this year in NZ – it’s a good excuse for a green bean casserole!) Then there is “Queen’s Birthday”, which is celebrated in the UK, NZ, and Australia (I’m not sure about Canada). However, Queen’s Birthday in NZ is like 2 months before Queens Birthday in Australia. And even within Australia the public holiday date is different; with each state/territory taking the day off at different times of the year! How bizarre!
Two other “holidays” that are celebrated in NZ/AUS as well as America are Mother’s and Father’s Day. I left the US on Mother’s Day 2008, only to arrive just before Mother’s Day in Auckland…. “I (heart) Mum” t-shirt s were displayed in all the stores. While I find myself occasionally slipping, and calling my mom “mum” in conversations with people, I typically try to keep the term mom separate from mum. Dave and I use the difference to distinguish which of our mother’s were referring too (particularly useful in texting): his mom = mum, mine = mom. So, while the actual dates are different for Mothers Day between continents, they are still within the same month. Not Father’s Day though.
Father’s Day in the USA was on June 21. I know because I travel with the Idaho calendar I was given for Christmas. I wasn’t sure when Aus Father’s day was, but I knew that in NZ it was Sept. 6 (I wrote the NZ holidays on my calendar). I hadn’t thought much of missing the American version – I figured dad would get a kick out of a random fathers day card from Australia – or a random call (I think I did FB messages for Mother’s Day – which was the same day in NZ and America this year). I hadn’t even given a thought to missing Father’s Day, until my sister mentioned it was one of the last times she visited with dad before he went into hospital….. Then I got really sad I had missed it – why didn’t I at least call!?
When I returned to Australia, I was eating lunch in the Northam Mall with Dave. I looked up and saw an ad for the upcoming Father’s Day gift giving (still a month away at that time). I got a bit sad, but luckily Dave was there to cheer me up. I have been really pleased that hearing the Father’s Day radio ads since then hasn’t bothered me much. I still have my periods of grieving and sadness, but I’m able to comfort myself in knowing that dad was proud of me. I am so very fortunate – when I came home mom showed me the binder containing my NZ blog. It was MASSIVE – more than a book! Dad had taken the time to copy by blog (pictures and all) into a word document. With pictures properly placed, dad then printed it all out! Mom showed me the binder and thought I could come up with headings and “chapters”. Dad was really looking forward to my Australian blog, wondering if he would need a whole new binder!
Dad was proud of both his girls! I am just fortunate enough to have such a tangible reminder of how much dad enjoyed my travels, stories, and writing. It guts me that he isn’t around to read about the caves and trees Dave explored. It brings me to tears to know that he will never see the purple carpet of flowers blossoming on Cunderdin hill. While dad was never going to travel to Australia, I always feel closest to him when I’m in nature. And that’s the important thing…. He may be gone in body, but his spirit lives on in all our hearts
Happy Father’s Day dad!!
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