Hi folks,

Our grown up daughter came home for two weeks over Xmas. It was lovely.

She told us about her stressful life in the city, and how glad she was to get some quiet time with her parents. She said, "I had no problems in my childhood, it was so easy."

What a tribute to get from a child. I was overwhelmed, and I remembered all the times we had, just quietly in the house, with me writing or reading, and her playing with her paintbox and stuff. Then I thought of the long school holidays and how she found time to spend with me, (her Mum was working full time) as well as with her friends. All those years, and never a cross word. All those days out together. What a gift.

The point of this post is that I know I was quite ill in those years, with high anxiety and some panic attacks, and our daughter had remembered none of it! I had been able to keep my troubles away from her for 20 years. Good grief.

I've had a few failures in my life, but fatherhood wasn't one of them.

Good thoughts, M