What a wonderful world

Catherine Nicolette;
Recently I listened to the song, "What a Wonderful World", by Sir David Attenborough. I was immediately swept back to my childhood, as I could see Dad in my mind's eye in the lounge of the mine house where our family spent many happy years during my youth. Often Dad would pause in the middle of whatever he was doing and burst into song. I was fascinated by this, and by the fact that he often would choose Louis Armstrong's song, "What a wonderful world." Oh, Dad loved Louis Armstrong. He considered him a musical genius, and to this day when I hear the unique throaty baritone of this wonderful singer and amazing musician, I stop whatever I am doing and listen - entranced - as Dad always did.

Anyhow. One day I asked Dad, why do you like the song so much? Dad stopped working (he was dusting the lounge and cleaning the kitchen because Mom was resting with our newest sibling). Dad often gave a hand with housework, but we were under strict instructions to never, ever tell anyone - especially not his fellow miners whom we often met socially or in Church. Dad explained when I enquired, that it was due to the image a man had to keep up. Fellow men, he explained, did not always understand if a man helped his wife with housework - so, best to say nothing. In the meantime, Dad merrily dusted away, and I, always the loyal elf to his Santa Claus, followed joyfully in his wake with the broom. Dad stirred up the dust, and I faithfully stirred it up again. I don't know how well the dust cleared, but we were always well satisfied with our endeavours.

So; Dad (after stopping working) got a faraway look in his eyes, and said to me, "You know, Nog, it's a wonderful song. Louis sings it from his soul. He knew something about life, that man. He couldn't sing like that if he hadn't experienced difficulty. It always makes me remember the time I was workless in London, and nearly starved to death. I was rescued by a fellow Irishman I used to know, and by the wonderful Salvation Army who took me in before he found me. They fed me and gave me shelter. They saved my life.

During that time, I heard the song. And God had granted me help; soup, food and bread, a place to stay, and a friend who put me back on my feet. And I looked up and saw the leaves, as if for the first time. Really, not just with my eyes, but with my heart and soul. I saw the trees, and the flowers.  I heard people talking, and the sound of the wind blowing in the trees. So many people I knew had died, and not had the chance again for life I had. And I wanted to make the best of it.

I looked at the world around me; and I had eyes to see it with, even if my sight wasn't so good. And I had ears to hear, feet to walk. I saw the beauty of the day as I waited in the soup line, and at night realised that God was the keeper of the night, and it was sacred.

I looked into a pram as the mother wheeled it by, and a little baby stared back at me with big eyes. And I knew, Nog,  that he would learn so much more than I ever would with all the changes happening in life. As you, Nog, will know so much more than I will. Look at the education you are getting. You'll be so much more clever than I ever will be, know so much more than I ever will."

As I looked at my dear Dad, at his clever and humble face, and his eyes which were full of remembered pain and loss, I felt a great wave of love and compassion in my little eleven year old heart. For the first time I began to realise that my hero was not just the strong Dad, fearless in the face of all, but also a person with feelings and memories of a time - not all of it good - of which I had no part. And I knew that my Dad - no matter what would happen in my life - would always be cleverer than me.

Because he was my Dad.

And you know what, readers?

The older I get, the wiser I realise my Dad was.

Sean Joseph Whittle - Dad

*Photograph at beginning of post taken by Catherine in the wonderful world of Ireland - God's evening light streaming over the gracious stone walls built by others' hard work, as the sacred night draws on

* Listen to Sir David Attenborough's "What a Wonderful World" At
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC_VmgZ84dE