Never, Never, Never Give Up

We all know someone that is an absolute pain in the butt. It may be someone at work or home. Someone you even love. In my case, it’s someone that I am forever connected to – my father.

In my early teens, I couldn’t even stand the man. I even wondered whether I loved him at all. This may sound harsh, however my dad wasn’t exactly pleasant growing up. In retrospect, I can potentially see why – he married later in life, and with seven daughters and one son to look after, he had a great deal on his plate.

Many years later, including a decade living overseas, I discovered my father was a new man – still a pain in the butt, however he was now much softer and more engaging. As it turned out we also shared something in common, a passion for cricket. It’s been really lovely to be able to actually feel as though I’ve had a relationship with my father over the last few years. While he can still easily push my buttons, I know that he loves me (something that I was never told as a child).

Over the last few years, dad has had so many health challenges I’ve lost count – late stage prostate cancer, skin cancer, heart disease, issues with other organs and aggressive ear cancer (in which he had his ear cut off). Last night he was taken to the hospital with excruciating back pain, mum rang earlier to tell me that they think it might be bone cancer – they’re keeping him in the hospital to undertake more tests.

Even recently I’ve had people say to me, why doesn’t he just give up? He’s 91 years old, he’s had a long life, isn’t that enough? The key is that dad isn’t ready to go yet. Who are they to say when someone should or shouldn’t ‘pull the pin’ on life?

Dad continues to baffle the doctors by continuing to work. He’s driven by achievement and doing something purposeful. It’s what continues to drive him every day. His tolerance of pain is greater than anyone I know. His resilience, determination and desire to never give up is something that I could only wish to aspire to.

We moan about our lives each day – we didn’t get that promotion we were hoping for, we didn’t get the girl or boy we had been keen on. We give up so easily. If you didn’t get the promotion, what are you going to do about it? If you didn’t get the love of your life, are you really ready to quit?! Try, try, try again until you succeed.

If we were to ‘flip’ our point of view, our whole life could change. If you say you “can’t” do something, then you won’t. If you say “so and so will always be that way”, then that is all you will ever see. What opportunities are you missing out on because of a fixed point of view? What dreams have you let pass by because life’s easier where you are?

There are 4,692 weeks in 90 years. For many of you, many of those weeks have already passed, so what are you waiting for?

I’m not sure how long dad will be around for, whatever the case I’m grateful that I have been able to witness his relentless curiosity and zest for life.  He’s taught me to never, never, never give up….

“…never give in, never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.”

Winston Churchill