It’s a long way to Tipperary

As a young adult I used to think I had a dysfunctional family but I know we are just like any other family with the usual problems. A family bound by the cords of love.

I have had the privilege of watching my father bestow love on his children and their children and their children’s children. I often watched as his eyes lit up like stars when the brood came to visit. He would sing to them songs, shared little jokes and games and put on special kid’s programmes for them to watch. He introduced us to the Walt Disney animation shows. When Dad spoke to his grandchildren it was always by some old English nickname or a representative of one of their habits, Poppit Moppit, quack-quack, sausage, hiccups and drinky-beer are a few. His youngest son born no bigger than a coke can was nicknamed Ding Dong Bell because the church bells rang daily at St John’s Cathedral on Ann Street nearby, separated by the laneway at the back entrance to his business. My school friends too were not exempt from a nickname; Dad would say, “where is Daddy Long Legs?” I would reply with, “which one?” For many of my friends are tall.

Oh my father also had a wrath, one thing I learnt was it was better to confront and tell him of one’s wrong doing. Yes, he would be cross and punishment would be dished out, sometimes only a lecture and then discussion of the solution would pursue. If Dad found out about the secrecy because we were not forthcoming with our wrongs, it was run for cover his anger was something one did not want to endure.

Thank God that our parents loved us enough to discipline us when we head on the wrong path so that we may right our lives.

It would amaze me how Dad taught the family pets; they often had some new trick to show or some new song to sing. I recall last year when Dad said to his dog Sheba, “time for bed.”; that little dog’s feet left the ground and the animal did a 360 degree turn, ready to head to the bedroom. When Dad took too long to get up after the comment, Sheba turned his head and looked over his right shoulder with excitement as if to say, ‘come on what is taking you so long?’ Mum and Dad loved animals. If they went shopping you never knew what they would bring back to their menagerie. Each pet had a story as to why they brought this one home.

To my nieces and nephews wisdom has taught me as similar to the Book of Songs (Holy Bible) sharing ‘don’t go looking for love, let love find you.’ Then as two become one the union can last a lifetime as your grandparents have shown.

My family is a story of walking miracles when our individual life stories are shared, the impossible has been overcome. The events from my Dad down to his great grandchildren have been blessed.

I would like to share a small scene with you played out one afternoon teatime at the Crowley household.

Miss K about two years old, was asked to take an ice-cream to her Pappa resting in bed. I hear grandad saying, “poppet moppet your going to make a mess.” This instigated me to view the situation; she had the tub in one hand, slightly tilted but not spilling yet, with the other she was licking the lid held to her mouth and holding the spoon.

Stop, what do you think happened next? I tell you little Miss K dutifully carried the small treat to her granddad after she tasted the ice-cream on the lid. She was taking the lid off as she had seen her Nanna do time and time again for Granddad and well anyone of us could be guilty of teaching her how to lick the remnants off the lid. I silently smiled at what had played out and how two people saw totally different end results before the finish. I was reminded that ‘things aren’t always as they appear to be and children learn what they see.”

My Dad led a very adventurous and creative life. He worked on films with many old time stars such as Olivia De Havilland, Laurence Olivier and James Mason are a few who come to mind from the eventful stories shared. More can be read of these eventful moments in my eBook #Called2Stand He came to Australia as a #TenPoundPom for a similar climate environment was required after being in Cairo for so long during the WWII. As a teenager he put out all the small fires that were occurring in the local theatre due to the bombing of his suburb and saved the theatre’s collection of costumes. There are many more moments that made the man my Dad.

We learned and received love in our household.