The Art of Being and Bonding...

There's something very special about the bond between a father and his daughter don't you think? For the last couple of years my girls have been spending time at Aussie Rules footy with their Dad. It's not that they are avid footy fans, in fact alot of the time they don't seem to know what's going on at all. But they do really enjoy this time for no other reason that it is special time just spent with their Dad, sharing his passion, sharing a whole day together, cheering together, talking together, walking to the game together, bonding...

Dan (who is a very special friend, and now works with us in our Honeybee stores, and helping out - and he is a HUGE help - in our warehouse), just sent me this lovely photo which captured something of his weekend - setting up this imaginative play scene with his 7 year-old daughter. There's no better way to spend a weekend as far as I'm concerned, than just "being" and "playing" with your children. The precious years of childhood pass so quickly. When I look at this photo I imagine the small nuances, the subtle moments, the real "creating" that may have unfolded - the creating of a relationship, of communication, of intimacy, of love, of discussion, of joy, of negotiation, of patience, of bonding, of being...

Today, I spent five and a half hours in the car with my youngest daughter, driving her to a specialist optometrist. We had to drive down one of the most BORING stretches of roads in Victoria, but I have to say it was a lovely trip. We didn't put the radio on, we didn't play any games (not consciously), we were just enjoying spending time together, we didn't do much at all except BE - basking in each other's company!!!