“This is my beloved daughter in who I am well pleased.”
For some years I wrote peoples stories. The readers were Magistrates and Judges. I came to write their stories because they had come to a place in their story that brought them to the attention of the Courts. It often felt like we were starting with the ending and telling the story backwards. The story usually told what had happened in their lives that led to the act that brought them before a Court.
On one occasion I said to a young woman, “So what’s the story?” She sang her response which was used in a Children’s TV programme, “What’s the story in Balamory what’s the story today?”
I do think we could all benefit from having our stories written. We need not have committed an act that brought us to the attention of the court we could simply stop right now and tell the story of how we got to this place.
Cee’s 18th birthday is today and over the past 6 weeks or so I had been going through old photograph albums and selecting photos for a book I compiled. Curiously the albums stop around 2010 as digital cameras become mainstream and mobile phones double up as cameras. I then had to scroll through loads of photos select the ones I wanted and print and then insert them.
I bought one of those baby book’s before she was born to log details of her growth and first years. It was soon filled and then I bought a couple of scrapbooks. I filled them with tickets to Children’s Classic Concerts, Zoos, holidays. I so wanted her to know her own story. This was probably motivated by my own need to know my own early years’ story. I have my Starsky which is the only toy I retained from childhood.
Each day of Cee’s life was important as was my ability to be her father. The two were inextricably linked. Her story was my story. I wanted to tell her her story well at least the bits she wouldn’t have the recall. And you know the more important story that I wanted to communicate was how much she was loved. The reason? I believe to know that one is loved is the most powerful force in all the world. Whatever may come against you knowing that you are loved will carry you.
I had the privilege of knowing the love of ‘the father’ from an early age though as a child, young person I missed being told in a human voice. Knowing that I wanted to do everything in my power to tell Cee that she was and is loved.
I believe it is a divine position to be the parents of a child and in that position, you can call out the potential of your child. If not I truly hope that child hears the voice of ‘the father’ who will call them himself.
Now you may think I am crazy but as Cee wanted me to take a zillion photos on her phone today I in middle of it said, “As Jesus came up from his baptism a dove landed on his head and a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved son in who I am well pleased.” As we bathe in this glorious sunshine and beautiful day I too say on this your 18th birthday, “This is my beloved daughter in who I am well pleased.”
Cee doesn’t pay much attention and returns to posing but I know words are powerful and love is more powerful and one day she will recall these words as she looks at her photos.
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