A gentle reminder of perseverance.

If you don't know it by now, my dad was, and still is, my biggest hero. Ever. If there was ever an example as a real super hero, it was him. He was the utilmate doer of good and humblest of humanitarians. Among the many volunteer positions he held were President of the Red Cross Blood Donor Society in New Brunswick, executive positions in Minor Hockey and Little League Baseball, with United Commercial Travellers where he worked tirelessly raising money for handicapped children and with Camp Chaleur so hundreds of kids could go to summer camp. He met with provincial gov'ts to increase benefits for senior citizens, was treasurer of our church for as many years as I can remember all while working a full time job. Even raising his own 6 kids he didn't hestitate to accept when asked to manage the household of a second family who were unable to do so on their own.

Alternatively, dad also spent every spare moment at the cottage, at the camp, at the ski hill, biking, hiking and camping with his family. He rarely missed a play, a concert, a hockey game nor a night around the dinner table; he never raised his voice or spoke a mean word. My siblings and I did however understand quite clearly that 'daddy don't take no crap'.. though it was in a manner that only the gentlest of souls could do. His friends were true and lifelong. And his camera was ever present capturing it all.

So yesterday I found myself struggling with a project I'm working on. Nothing was going as easy as I expected and I found myself remembering that person from whom I always got strength. Memories of a man who only looked onward and upward; who could find extra time when none existed and inspiration in the simpliest of things. I needed some of that right now! How bizarre was it that almost at THAT moment, my brother phoned to tell me that he had brought some of my dad's old cameras from home for me to have. It was exactly the boost I needed to check myself and get going. As Steve and I went through the cases, he stopped and smiled. There, tucked in a pocket of his camera bag was a small picture of me at about 5 years old. He had cut it out and saved it there all this time.

And in that moment, I felt inspired beyond belief ....and that my hero was watching over me.