Jacqueline Rackham
When I was a child I had a
fairly strict up bringing. My mother would reinforce her words with a good hard
slap, striking what ever part of her children she could reach. On the other
hand, my father never used violence at all and his more effective way of
corrective parenting were thoughtful words quietly spoken.
When I was young he would
often tell me that I was living in a dream world where I was a princess and
everybody else was a servant. He said that I should be careful what I wished
for and that I should not wish that I were a beautiful princess who lived in a
wonderful castle but that I should look in the mirror and see how lucky I was.
He told me how fortunate I was to have parents who loved me and who made sure
that I had food to eat and nice clothes to wear even if they were home made.
My niece and Nephews then and now
He often told me that I
should think how much better off I was than some other people. That I should be
thankful for what I had and not spend my life dreaming about things I wished I
could have. That this was not a world where anything came for nothing, but that
everything had to be worked for, that was where my thoughts should take me. I
should work hard at everything including my school work and not just about
being a ballerina. He said I should pray for other people when I said my
prayers before I got into bed, putting myself last.
He was right of course. My
brother Peter was older than me and had the same guidance. He grew up to be
fine hard working man, loving his own children and sport coaching less
fortunate children.
My brothers Grandchildren
One of the nice things about
getting older is to see how people turn out from the children they were. My
brother, who died only a couple of years ago would be so proud of his children
who have all grown up to be equally nice people and that can be seen in their
faces in the photos; Just as happy looking as when they were children.
My own daughter Jacqueline
is a marvel in many ways. She applies herself with all her heart to anything
she lays her hand to. When she was still at school she had a weekend job at a
local nursing home proudly earning her own spending money. She has battled her
way through life to achieve her goals and is still growing with each bend in
the road; now a thoughtful wife as well as a brilliant photographer.
An email that came this
morning made me reflect on all of this since it was from a young woman who
joined our club when she was young and worked so hard to achieve her aims and
goals. She moved to New
Zealand with her husband and I still heavily
involved in fitness as an instructor. Steve and I drove her up to the airport
to begin her journey to join her husband, who had traveled ahead to start work
there. Her little girl Kayleigh sang ‘The Wheels on the bus go round and round’
about a thousand times on the way take their life changing flight.
This morning a big smile
spread over my face at the photos she had sent of the teenage Kayleigh doing a
triathlon, mostly with a big smile on her face as her mum took her photos. She
also sent her amazing school report. Look out world Kayleigh Potts is on her
way.
The last photo here was
taken during a triathlon we took part in many years ago in Solana Beach, California.
Here is another young man determined not to let life get the better of him.
Rudi Garcia a young man to make us all think about our lives and attitudes.
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