Day Jar View

Whilst I was away on a boozy weekend with some mates down South, apparently my daughter started going forwards when crawling, rather than just sideways, in circles, and backwards as has been the case so far.

I was a bit miffed to have missed it, but on my return on Sunday night she duly performed her new moves on the kitchen floor. Quite emotional really, and since then all I’ve done is try to encourage her to take her first steps – just for me!

Watching the opening ceremony of the Games this pm, I was struck by how perfunctory and banal clapping can sometimes be. Especially if, like the poor maidens standing in a circle around the stadium, you have to do it on pain of death (possibly) for 2 hours or more.

However, yesterday my beautiful baby girl started to clap her hands, aged nearly 9 months. I can’t tell you how much that meant to me. That silly gesture that has always made me wonder what it is all about, suddenly became something magical. And that’s the beauty of being a Father I guess.

Not just so that you can appreciate clapping, but that it makes you see wonder and beauty and joy in the little things, all over again.