I watched the Ireland People of The Year Awards on Saturday evening, which showcased extraordinary people who have helped others or overcome adversity in their own lives, like nine-year-old Joe Prendergast, who was determined to write a book and dedicate it to his father who died slowly of lung cancer. He is now completing his third book, and donates the proceeds to Cancer research. But there was also an example of everyday “extraordinary” commitment in the simple story of the man who won “Dad of the Year”. He is a fireman who, having seen how easily lives can be changed in a second, tries to make the moments of each day special for his children. His young son said that his father allows him do most things, including allowing “him to get dirty”. As this poem reminds us, how we model our priorities and our use of time is easily picked up by our children:
We stop at the dry cleaners and the grocery store
and the gas station and the green market and
Hurry up honey, I say, hurry,
as she runs along two or three steps behind me
her blue jacket unzipped and her socks rolled down.
Where do I want her to hurry to? To her grave?
To mine? Where one day she might stand all grown?
Today, when all the errands are finally done, I say to her,
Honey I’m sorry I keep saying Hurry—
you walk ahead of me. You be the mother.
And, Hurry up, she says, over her shoulder, looking
back at me, laughing. Hurry up now darling, she says,
hurry, hurry, taking the house keys from my hands.
Marie Howe, “Hurry” from When She Named Fire
photo zivya
