Retirement
Sunday, July 26, 2009 at 6:15AM
At the end of June I attended a retirement lunch for my dad. After 35 years with the same company, he was retiring, and moving my stepmother and my two brothers out to Cape Breton. It was a terribly interesting event to attend. To watch co-workers of my father honour him after more than 3 decades of service to the same company was terribly fascinating. To witness, as a child to this man, others impressions of my dad, their stories of him, stories that I wasn't often a witness to. In a way to have a brand new picture of him painted for me, right in front of my eyes by others, not people that I was totally unfamiliar with, but strangers none the less. To see my parent through the eyes of others, to hear what he talked about when I wasn't around.
I found my reaction to this surprising. It isn't a secret that I haven't totally gotten along with my dad the past few years. That his performance as my father and grandfather to my children has been lacking. That my ability to honour him as my father had been strained as I have really struggled to appreciate my dad. But to see him as others see him, to hear him talk about his life to others. I began to see my dad without the filters of my own emotions, love, disappointment and expectations. And I began to appreciate him anew. I felt a deep sense of pride to see this man, my dad being honoured, recognized and appreciated for his service and effort, a service that my sister and I were all too aware of because of his absence at home, but to see on the other hand it's impact on those around him.
The other big observation I had was just how different my generation is from my dads. My dad knew only 1 career, only one boss and only 1 company. When he started Aurum Ceramic there was one company, one laboratory that was fit into a few thousand square feet in the old Calgary Herald Building. And to hear him tell it, with nothing more than a handshake and a mutual understanding that they would both work their hardest to make Aurum successful and in turn, take care of each other. So on a handshake and the principles of hard work, integrity and trust, a 35 year long relationship was born. A relationship that existed before I did, that saw my sister grow up, my birth, the decay of my family, my dad's new marriage, the adoption of two new sons, a relationship that has been a constant, another family of sort, through the ups and downs of my dads life. In this light I could appreciate how my dad must feel, how hard it must be for him to walk away from that constant and embrace the unknown. It also allowed me to appreciate him in a way that I never have. To see him as William the man, who isn't perfect and has hopes, dreams, ambitions and insecurities just like I do. My generation goes about their careers in a much different fashion, but for me at least, I hope to carry forward some of the principles and attitudes that have been so evident in my dad's life.
I only hope that one day, my kids will be able to appreciate me in the same way, that my co-workers will be able to reflect on my career with the admiration that my fathers did, and that I will be able to retire, knowing that I gave it my all and head into my retirement with the hope, happiness and health that my father has. And while my dad will probably never read this, I hope he realizes that I am so proud of him, and that I recognize his mistakes and hope to learn from them, but more so I see his successes and hope that I can duplicate those in my own life!!
- RoneTyne
I found my reaction to this surprising. It isn't a secret that I haven't totally gotten along with my dad the past few years. That his performance as my father and grandfather to my children has been lacking. That my ability to honour him as my father had been strained as I have really struggled to appreciate my dad. But to see him as others see him, to hear him talk about his life to others. I began to see my dad without the filters of my own emotions, love, disappointment and expectations. And I began to appreciate him anew. I felt a deep sense of pride to see this man, my dad being honoured, recognized and appreciated for his service and effort, a service that my sister and I were all too aware of because of his absence at home, but to see on the other hand it's impact on those around him.
The other big observation I had was just how different my generation is from my dads. My dad knew only 1 career, only one boss and only 1 company. When he started Aurum Ceramic there was one company, one laboratory that was fit into a few thousand square feet in the old Calgary Herald Building. And to hear him tell it, with nothing more than a handshake and a mutual understanding that they would both work their hardest to make Aurum successful and in turn, take care of each other. So on a handshake and the principles of hard work, integrity and trust, a 35 year long relationship was born. A relationship that existed before I did, that saw my sister grow up, my birth, the decay of my family, my dad's new marriage, the adoption of two new sons, a relationship that has been a constant, another family of sort, through the ups and downs of my dads life. In this light I could appreciate how my dad must feel, how hard it must be for him to walk away from that constant and embrace the unknown. It also allowed me to appreciate him in a way that I never have. To see him as William the man, who isn't perfect and has hopes, dreams, ambitions and insecurities just like I do. My generation goes about their careers in a much different fashion, but for me at least, I hope to carry forward some of the principles and attitudes that have been so evident in my dad's life.
I only hope that one day, my kids will be able to appreciate me in the same way, that my co-workers will be able to reflect on my career with the admiration that my fathers did, and that I will be able to retire, knowing that I gave it my all and head into my retirement with the hope, happiness and health that my father has. And while my dad will probably never read this, I hope he realizes that I am so proud of him, and that I recognize his mistakes and hope to learn from them, but more so I see his successes and hope that I can duplicate those in my own life!!
- RoneTyne
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Reader Comments (1)
This was really interesting to read. My dad is also retiring this year (within weeks actually) and has been in the same career since as long as I can remember too. I won't be able to see his retirement party however, which based on your blog, is a shame.