We had a good day for Don’s 70th, with about 16 family and friends there for the occasion. Don had a couple of funny turns the previous week, and at one stage it seemed we would have to cancel the whole thing, thinking he would be hospitalised. But the fainting spells turned out to be nothing serious such as preliminary to a stroke (the main concern) but most probably an inner ear infection.
I couldn’t get our big outdoor umbrella to stay up — maybe a pin is missing or something — and it was too hot and dazzling to stay outside without cover, so we all milled about inside, rather more congested and crowded than I had been planning, but everyone seemed happy.
About a month ago I was at the funeral of an old lady we’ve known for years, and as so often happens, the eulogy taught me so much more about our old friend, fascinating details from her life, made me regret not knowing more about her when she was alive. I thought, surely there are other times in life when we can share that sort of information about someone. So, in planning Don’s birthday, I thought it was an appropriate time to mention a few details of his life that people may not be aware of.
We always do speeches, it doesn’t seem a proper celebration in our family unless there is a speech of some sort. So I did a toast to Don, not a long speech, but these are some of the things I told about him:
- Everyone knows Don has a Master of Arts degree (Psych major) but did you know he left school at 14, barely scraping through the Intermediate Certificate
- Worked on his parents’ farm for the next 7 years, hard times but an influential period that has affected him powerfully all his life, being the man of the family, seeing them through drought and then flood and then the family finally walking off the property
- Deciding at 24 to enter the ministry, being told to get his degree as a first step, so did the Leaving Certificate by correspondence, holed up in his bedroom in his parents’ house, sending off new lessons every day, beginning in May and matriculating in November of that year
- At University in Sydney, attending a student Christian seminar one lunchtime, mingling afterwards with the other students, locked eyes for the first time with ….. me! (And yes folks, that was it! ….)
Our son talked about Don’s generosity and big heartedness and the stream of lame dogs he would bring into our home, and the hitch-hikers he would squeeze into the car when we were going on trips, and way that influenced all our kids.
Don enjoyed the day greatly, and the cards are still pinned up on the board in his room. The photo shows Don, grandson Gavin who helped with blowing out the candles, and our friend Graham.
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