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Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Dear Olive,
Shane's away in Melbourne for a few days visiting his father, who's elderly and gravely ill in hospital. Shane hasn't seen his Dad in about twenty years and they basically have not had anything to do with each other since Shane was an infant. How does this happen? How does a relationship between a parent and child get to this point where they don't really have a relationship? I never understood this but now that I have you, I don't get it with everything that I am. It's always been the most basic strength for me, knowing my family is in my corner, always supporting me, always loving me. Since you've been born, your Dad has wondered more too. Lately he and his Dad have had a couple of phone conversations. And now Shane's flown down to Melbourne to be by his Dad's bedside. I think it's extremely courageous of him. I've never seen your Dad so vulnerable, but also at the same time so assured.
We made some monsters for him.



11 comments:

one claire day said...

I got quite upset reading this because it brings up some of my own family struggles.

I just don't get it, either.

Good on you Shane for being above it all.
x

Jgee said...

Go Shane. I'm in your camp wondering how relationships become so fractured. Poor children. Poor parents. I am so conscious of making sure Lenny never has to face these familial struggles. With a courageous Dada like Shane, it looks like Olive won't have to. x

Anonymous said...

Every inspirational Dad should be gifted totem monsters. Kudos to Shane for being the grown-up; would that his Dad have made the effort sooner...

Alex Sunday said...

yes, exactly what everyone else has said. love your monsters.

Nell said...

Fair play to Shane. Families can be weird, can't they? My Dad left my mum when she was 7 months pregant with my brother. Their relationship was always strained, but when Charlie and his gf got pregnant it really sunk in how uncomprehendible that was to do, and so Charlie didn't speak to my Dad for almost 2 years. Over the last 4 years they've totally rebuilt their relationship though and now it's great. But i'll still never really understand how Dad left us. I hope Shane's ok and finds some peace once he's met up with his Dad.

And awesome monsters too. Bound to cheer up any Papa xx

::The Beetle Shack:: said...

What a good man your Shane is. And how very crafy home maker of you and Olive. One happy family. Your family. Always your family, your ways. Your monsters ;)

fast times in münchen. said...

Shane, I'm so sorry your father is so sick and also that you have such a shitty relationship with him. I too know what it's like to have a non-relationship with a parent. I've never understood it and quite frankly never will.
Thinking of you guys xx

Inês Seabra said...

Some things are really hard to understand, but being a parent must change the way we see the world and peoples relations. I'm glad Shane took that step, too bad there were bad reasons to it... We're all praying for him.
love from Portugal **

Cati Basmati said...

Well I am sure that now that he has monsters, everything will turn out ok ;-)

Andrea @ little buckles said...

If we could only wave a magic wand to make all families live happily ever after. Hope Shane's trip goes well and I can guarantee the monsters will help :)

Brittany said...

these are adorable

 

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