Fathers Day
OK, for those who care, a little report about yesterdays meeting.
To fill you in on the reason I did the meeting... last year three weeks before mothers Day my CO's mum died, I offered to do the meeting for him as I could not watch him struggle through it. It went well. This year, he managed Mothers Day and did so well, and then sadly the Wednesday after Mothers Day his father passed away. So I went back to him with the same offer for Fathers Day. There are times when good deeds are also nerve-wracking ones.
So I was awake from 6 going through the whole meeting in my head, making sure I'd remembered everything. Of course I also got up to do a bacon sandwich for Dunc and we did gifts with the kids. I got ready - doing one's eyeliner is very trick when your hand in trembling so much.
Got to the hall early, set everything out how I needed it.
The meeting went fine. We gave gingerbread men to all the men in the building - my equivalent of flowers to the mums - although mine were gingerbread angels as I couldn't find a man cutter!! At the end, as I've done with Mothers day too, we had a reflective time, to think of Fathers not with us - this could be fathers who have passed away, or just fathers that couldn't be at our our meeting. It went down well, I think many people appreciate being able to remember those not with us any more - and needless to say I blubbed my way through it - I always do - I see someone cry and I just join in!!
So many people, said lovely things afterwards so although I was unbelievably nervous - it was worth it.
To fill you in on the reason I did the meeting... last year three weeks before mothers Day my CO's mum died, I offered to do the meeting for him as I could not watch him struggle through it. It went well. This year, he managed Mothers Day and did so well, and then sadly the Wednesday after Mothers Day his father passed away. So I went back to him with the same offer for Fathers Day. There are times when good deeds are also nerve-wracking ones.
So I was awake from 6 going through the whole meeting in my head, making sure I'd remembered everything. Of course I also got up to do a bacon sandwich for Dunc and we did gifts with the kids. I got ready - doing one's eyeliner is very trick when your hand in trembling so much.
Got to the hall early, set everything out how I needed it.
The meeting went fine. We gave gingerbread men to all the men in the building - my equivalent of flowers to the mums - although mine were gingerbread angels as I couldn't find a man cutter!! At the end, as I've done with Mothers day too, we had a reflective time, to think of Fathers not with us - this could be fathers who have passed away, or just fathers that couldn't be at our our meeting. It went down well, I think many people appreciate being able to remember those not with us any more - and needless to say I blubbed my way through it - I always do - I see someone cry and I just join in!!
So many people, said lovely things afterwards so although I was unbelievably nervous - it was worth it.
posted by Anita @ Monday, June 18, 2007
4 Comments:
At Monday, June 18, 2007 10:58:00 AM,
student midwife said…
you did great anita!
At Monday, June 18, 2007 9:10:00 PM,
matthewjingram said…
Definitely did well! Look forward to your next meeting! x
At Tuesday, June 19, 2007 12:03:00 AM,
Heather's place said…
Sounds like you did good - well done.
Something we've done at Walton a few times to remember Mums is have an empty vase and pile of roses at the front. We encourage people to come forward, pick up a rose and place it in the vase in memory of their Mum. We leave the vase in the foyer during the week - as the building is very busy lots of people see it.
It's very moving (I usually blubb). People really like the opportunity to "do something" as an act of thanks and remembrance.
I always think it's important at times of celebration to recognise that some people are struggling with sadness, guilt or regrets.
If you ever do the thing with the flowers it's important to give very clear instructions. I remember one year a slightly confused congregation watching one little boy put a flower in the vase and then sit back down next to his very much alive mother :-)
At Tuesday, June 19, 2007 9:34:00 AM,
Anita said…
The flower thing is what I've done the last 2 mothers days at Croydon, people really appreciate it - but I thought for Fathers day I would make it more masculine with stones
Post a Comment
<< Home