Footsteps

I never wanted my sons to follow in my footsteps

I preferred that they walk beside me for a time

And when I eventually tire

They will go further than I could have ever imagined possible

Although I was happy in my primary education at Carnalridge – the school was about 100 m from the entrance to our farm, the strict discipline of a 1950’s grammar school education in Coleraine, with its constant threat of corporal punishment, grated with my yearning for independence. I left school at the earliest opportunity and soon after I set off to seek my fortune. I’m still seeking!

Thankfully, times and teaching methods have changed, and my sons were never caned, kept in detention after school and made write hundreds of lines like ‘I must not forget my homework’. It may now be hard to believe, but grammar schools in the UK and Ireland were like that. It seems to me that the strict discipline was intended to break rebellious spirits. In my case they failed.

In comparison, my sons received an excellent primary education at Lyndhurst in Camberley, well followed by Salesian College in Farnborough. All four boys achieved a plethora of ‘A’ levels, the UK equivalent of university entrance.

They were all very much involved in their school sports from an early age, and I loved taking them to their many varied sports – football, rugby, cricket, basketball, javelin, judo etc .

Both Andrew and John pursued the academic path, attaining degrees from Imperial College in London and the University of Southampton respectively. Bob and Philip took a sabbatical from studies, before embarking on careers in accounting and software development.

Between them, my sons have travelled in more than 60 countries and territories, and they have resided and worked in Australia, New Zealand, US, France, Spain, Germany, as well as being road warriors in several other countries. At this rate they will soon overtake me!

They are all competent skiers, thanks to a UK artificial slope and Lotta’s introduction to Swedish ski slopes.

Andrew, Bob and Philip are accomplished long distant cyclists, with treks from the UK to Chamonix and Venice and Philip across the US coast-to-coast.

Until I suffered a stroke, for many years I was an enthusiastic mountain hiker, mainly in Switzerland and France, but also in the UK. My sons have climbed further and higher than I have ever done.

And all had an excellent music education, with Andrew excelling on the piano. His grandfather and great-grandfather, both musicians, would have been proud of him.

And there were a couple of wannabe actors in the family…

Philip’s volunteer work is impressive. At his own cost, he participated in projects in Tanzania, the Philippines, and Mozambique.

Both Bob (2012 in New Zealand) and Philip (2019 in California) completed skydives.

And Philip is now an Ironman!

Yup, they have gone further than I could ever have imagined, and there’s almost certainly more to come.