Hi there
Funny how things shape your life but you don’t realise it at the time.
When my dad died when I was 10, I was in my last year at primary school. I had a real visionary headmaster, he knew I stammered, he knew I was shy but he said to my mum “have you considered boarding school for your son? There’s a great council owned school that might be good for him?”
Might seem strange but think about it here I was a shy young lad, just lost my Dad and who stammered quite a lot (which certainly didn’t help with my shyness)
My Mum talked to me, we went to an open day and eventually I decided to go
What do I take away from this – what a visionary man he was?
He knew I was hurting, he knew I needed to be challenged and to learn to stand on my own 2 feet – he wanted me to become resilient & strong and never give up – and that’s what boarding school did for me!!
Was he right – absolutely – am I a stronger better person for it – yes – did he help shape me as a person and my life – yes
War changes people
My Dad had a tough time of it during world war 2, flying Spitfires must have seemed glamours until you crashed or got shot down – unfortunately he did and was injured. He recovered but Civvy Street was not all it was cracked up to be and I think it’s fair to say he struggled to adapt back into it.
Doing a normal 9-5 job didn’t compare well with the glamour s life of being a young dashing RAF spitfire pilot
Unfortunately because my mum would work hard, all hours just to make ends meet and make sure the rent was paid and food on the table he took to the life of a dreamer, writing poetry and short stories and unfortunately as long as he had enough money for a pint of beer and a packet of cigarettes he was happy whilst my mum worked harder and harder to make ends meet. The odd job he got came and went but still my mum soldered on.
The war left its scares, not obvious ones but scares still the same
When he died suddenly when I was 10 all that was left were debts and some broken cars that didn’t work
I vowed then I’d be a worker like my mum
– I wouldn’t tolerate being kept by anyone
– That whatever happened I’d make my own way
– And whatever happened I’d keep going & trying to achieve my goals
Thanks Dad you actually left me a legacy far more valuable than money, which is still alive and well today!
Do I miss my goals – yes all the time – do I stop setting g them absolutely not
What’s your story ? how did things in your past shape your own live now?
Lets work together and get this online marketing thing done TOGETHER
Cheers
Tony
