Today my Dad turns 53. As a gift, my sister and I decided to get him an iPod Nano and a smart looking traveling case to go with it. He’s been starting to get a little more techno-savvy – using Limewire to download Deep Purple and the like - and as he takes the train everyday to work, we figured why not get him something that might make the commute more bearable? Well, we hope it will anyway.

Somehow my Dad has been able to make this commute for over twenty years, and for that I applaud him. I’ve had issues with taking the GO to work just for four months in the summer! Man, on those days I forgot my Nintendo DS at home (or in the car, dang it) I just couldn’t drown out the noise of other passengers talking obnoxiously loud on their cellphones, or typing away on laptops, or the dreaded crying babies and otherwise whiney children. I remember how I would come home and complain to him when I was done with school about how I never wanted to work in Toronto unless I lived there. He would just smile at me with a weird sort of “father knows best” look. Now that I think about it, I believe the man is just impervious to any sort of annoyance. He did put up with my siblings and I for almost as long as he’s been commuting after all. I can only assume that the man is an impenetrable rock of patience and general contentment with life (among many, many other things). Now he can be a rock with music.

So now I’m making a cake for him. The Sister has mysteriously vanished from the house… probably to hide at a friend’s and avoid her share of the work, but that was to be expected. I thought about taking pictures, but the kitchen is a mess. Perhaps when I start work on the icing, maybe after the fact, I’ll pull out the camera. And no, I am not making rock cakes.

I received this letter yesterday from someone with whom I used to be very close. I think that while I’m trying to work my way through difficult stages in my life, I should try to remember it and look back on it for inspiration (edited for privacy):

“… There is hope and if you keep up with believing in yourself and hoping for the best then you will begin to realize the changes in yourself that you need…

“I believe you can do this, I know you have the ability to face your demons and defeat them and become a better person than you ever thought you could.  Don’t give up on yourself, use time to attack things with a passion and a desire to [make things] better and where you can be happy… I love you and have been there for you and will be there [for you]…  Don’t give up.”

Don’t give up. Powerful words, and I hope that they will help me travel over the many bumps in the road I’m sure to encounter as I continue to live my life and move forward.