Today would have been our dads 93rd birthday. Thinking of he and Mom today. Times were sometimes rough when we were growing up but we had so many great times. Our Father did so many positive things for us. Yes he went through a period in is life where he suffered from Depression, but he made it. He preserved and with help from Mom and her brother Frank, he made it. And while those times were sometimes difficult for us and our Mother, Dad made up for it in so many other ways. He made our baseball bats for us and he taught us to play all of the sports that we learned to love so much. He was an avid Hockey player and softball player. We didnt have money for Store bought gifts at Christmas, but Pop and Mom always made sure that there was something under the tree for us. Mom made our doll clothes, and mitts and hats and new snowsuits (out of flour bags and jute grain bags) and Pop made us Skis, and skates, yes skates. He made the blades and somehow attached them to old boots. He taught us to play hockey. He made our very own Gravel Gardens with blue lines and red lines and lights. We had the best sleighs all hand made by him. He taught us to fish and hunt. He was strict but he was a great teacher. He always taught us to be a team, and sometimes that would back fire on him when we got into trouble because we stood united and would never ever tell tales on each other. If one of us was in trouble with Pops, we all were. He taught us strategy in sports. Strategy and team work. We knew that he loved us as he put countless hours into making sure that we had sports equipment and he physically showed up to teach us each game. I remember one year he even made me a catchers glove out of leather, and jute. I was his catcher and he was the pitcher. Gary played third and short and John was on Second and Liz was sometimes on first. Debbie and Karen were the babies then. Together with our neighbours we formed a league. I was 10 years old when we started the league. He made us a Volley Ball Court and a Badminton Court and we could play all night. We had so much fun. Mom and Pop both taught us to play cards and it was a must to learn to play chess which is a very strategic game. Our Parents were amazing dancers and they taught us their smooth moves on the dance floor. Yes there tough times but oh so many great times. There wasnt a lazy bone in that mans body. He was always building something or fixing something. He could make anything. He was very meticulous in everything that he did. He was such a perfectionist and that did come back to haunt him in his old age when he wasnt able to put the same effort into his daily routine. He was a good Man. Mom was a hard worker and she stayed by his side in good times and not so good times. They stuck it out and were married for 49 years when Mom passed away on Sept 2, 1995. Pop was lost after Mom passed away, but he once again preserved. Both Mom and Pop taught us to never ever give up. They taught us to stay in the game. Whatever the game was, be it sports, or the game of life. They taught us to have respect for others and for ourselves. And they taught us to love ourselves and others and to forgive. They taught us to be happy and to be have an attitude of gratitude. Each day in my prayers, I say thank you to the Good Lord above that I had Mary Teresa Frances Gray, and Douglas Roy Bonell as my parents. Thanks to them, we all had a University Degree before we hit high school. We were so blessed to have them as our parents. Sometime there are people who judge others and make assumptions about their lives and who they were and what they did while travelling along lifes journey. And sometimes those assumptions can be hurt full to family members and negate all of the good that those people have done in their life time. The Old saying, that We are only as good as our Last Bat is so true for so many who judge through anger, or jealousy or just not knowing the facts. Mom and Pop always taught us to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and not to judge them. They taught us to see good in everyone, and to draw a positive side out of every situation that we encountered. They taught us to not dwell on negativity. They taught us to not look at circumstances. They taught us to work smart. They taught us to learn from our mistakes and embrace our Life Journey. Mary Teresa Frances Gray and Douglas Roy Bonell were two amazing individuals. They both were hard workers. They made the most of their opportunity to experience life on Earth and they taught us to do the same. Happy Birthday Pop!!!! Miss You bunches!! Jennifer
Posted on: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 15:44:55 +0000