Designer clothing and t-shirts for wake, skate, snow and surf by nosymbolrequired
We all think of our dads as pretty amazing people. When we are young, we worship them as our heroes and hear about stories of how they climbed everest, painted 14 fences in one day, fixed the car, put shelves up and did other manly things that we have no idea how to do. When we grow up a little, we see our dads as the people that they are - hard working, caring and doing jobs because they need to be done. They loose a little of the hero status.
However, my dad is a little bit different. In his younger years he did lots of sports, canoeing the Devises to Westminster canoe race in a very respectable 16 hours, running and racing completing marathons, parachuting into Poole harbour, driving around in boats, diving, skiing and everything else that was classed as extreme sports, even before the phrase had been coined.
A few years back it changed. My mum and dad bought a canal boat and slipped comfortably into, what I considered, old age. They were happy, but the "edge" that my dad had before seemed to be slipping away. They were fond memories, rather than interesting things he got up to.
Then it happened. My mum phoned and was at a loss as to what "the man who has everything" would like for his birthday. She had a plan, and she wanted my input. "how about kitesurfing lessons?" oh, yes. I was a bit concerned that we were all pushing dad into something, and that he wouldnt be happy due to having given up on that part of his life. We chatted, and mum decided he should give it a go.
I watched my dads lessons, with my children, hoping that he was at least having some fun, even if he didnt take it up regularily. I shouldnt have worried. He came in at the middle of the day, cold, wet and tired but with the biggest childish grin spread across his face. He was excited and a light had been turned on behind his eyes. At the end of his days lessons, he then booked himself in for the following day. He loved it. He chatted to the people in the shop and wanted to buy a kite, a wetsuit, a harness, a board and anything else that would get him out on the water. He was hooked, and the grin stayed!
So why not take a leaf out of "my old mans" book. Try something, you never know, you might like it.
