Father's Day
On Father's Day, we honor the men who help to make our lives complete.
At first I was going to write a blog about my father, who has been a great source of inspiration throughout my life. He nurtured, encouraged and supported me through everything I have accomplished, and was always there to pick me up if I happened to stumble along the way.
But then I saw what my daughter wrote about /her/ father, and said to myself, "I have to share this with my readers." You see, my father set such a wonderful example, that when it came time to make the choice about who would father my children, I picked the best man on the planet. Like my fa ther before him, my husband has been there for his children at every step of the way, and I am grateful for the example he continues to set.
So a big THANK YOU to you, daddy, for being the best example of what a father should be. And here is my daughter's story about her dad -- my husband, whom I absolutely adore.
All the best,
Yana
It was about nine years ago when my dad started to nonchalantly approach me about spending time with him. He would ask me to go to the farmer’s market, the mall, join him at the gym, or for a game of tennis. I never understood why he would ask me, considering he had three other children that could accompany him. At the time it nev er crossed my mind, that he did other things with my siblings making them feel as special. Looking back at the times I’ve spent with my dad, every minute has been time well spent.
When the gym in our area opened it became my dad’s new obsession. It was as if he saved Saturday mornings for us to do some sort of cardiovascular activity. It could have been tennis, yoga, or an intense workout, however it was always something. I never grasped exactly why he would chose me over my other siblings to constantly go to the gym with him, and I thought it was not fair. I was just a regular teenage kid, wishing that I could sleep in later than nine on a Saturday morning. Yet, I soon learned why. When we would work out, we would exchange stories and fill each other in on our week. By the time we would leave the gym, half of our Saturday was gone. At the time, it bothered me that our workouts took so long; I considered the day at the gym as a day “wasted” because I wish I could have been with my friends.
As the years have progressed, I have become busy with school and work, and my dad’s job has kept him working long hours and traveling for long periods of time. While I do not spend as much time with him anymore, we always make time to exchange stories and catch up during family dinners. Yet, our “together time” is not the same as it used to be.
Over the years I have realized why my dad wanted to do these little things with me. I remember the smiles that would appear on his face when we would be together. Today, nothing is more satisfying to me than knowing that my dad is happy. He is a man with a heart of gold. He has put millions of smiles on the faces of my sibling’s and my mom. He has made our family complete by being there for all of us .
He has traveled half way across the world back from a business trip to attend the graduations of his children, he has given gifts that could not be topped, and he has granted wishes without even knowing it. So when Father’s Day comes around this year, I will show my dad how thankful I am that he has showed me with more affection than I could ask for. I can turn to my dad for help or advice and know that he will always steer me in the right direction. I will do anything to see a smile light up on my dad’s face -- and this is a goal I try to achieve on a daily basis. My dad brightens my day with a simple text message saying “I love you” or “I miss you”—this Father’s day is my turn to show him how much I love him.
This Sunday morning I will be out of bed bright and early. If my dad wants to go to the gym, or if he wants to wash our cars or do some other spontaneous activity that his heart desires, I will do it. If it puts a smile on his face—then every minute is worth it.
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Yana Berlin - Founder of Fabulously40 Inc.™ the only sorority created exclusively for women in their prime. It was established to help women connect with one another and celebrate their age, beauty and spirituality. We hope you'll join us as we set off on the amazing journey to the best part of our lives. http://www.fabulously40.com
Fabulously40 Weekend Getaway
Fabulously40 Weekend Getaway
A Hectic Departure
The eve of my second official Fab40 All Girls Weekend Getaway had finally arrived, and I found myself excited and anxious at the same time.
Last year’s event was a great hit, however, I knew everyone on that trip. This year would bring together several total strangers. I wondered…how will people I’ve never met fit into our Fabulously Forty Sorority?
Waking up an hour later than planned (for the first time in my life!) sent my husband and I into a frenzy. While I desperately tried to squeeze my “shapely” thighs into just-out-of-the-wash jeans, my husband dashed around the house gathering my things. I arrived at the airport at the last minute and had to charm my way into my plane, which was just about to shove off and taxi down the runway.
Greatly relieved at making the plane, I dropped myself into a seat and slowly exhaled. After a moment to unwind, I pulled out the agenda for the weekend and began reviewing the jam-packed roster of fun and relaxing activities. This time around I hoped to get my Fab40 group interested in setting up their own chapters, book clubs, gourmet clubs, knitting sessions, etc., and give them suggestions on how to do so in away that had all their sorority sisters screaming for more.
As my plane landed in Miami, I felt like a little girl going on her first big trip to the amusement park. Inside the terminal, I met with my group and was introduced to the sorority sisters that I didn’t know -- about half the group. With smiles and hugs all around, we set out on our journey.
Controlled Chaos
We arrived at our condo and crowded inside, where we flipped a coin for beds and began unpacking. And that’s when the fun began!
Picture the following scenario -- a small, two-bedroom condo right on the beach, two very small bathrooms, and seven pre-menopausal women all trying to get ready for a night on a town at the same time. The excitement, noise and laughter kicked the evening into high gear, and we didn’t slow down for the entire weekend.
Observing this year’s Fab40 gang brought a big smile to my face. How wonderful that seven women from all walks of life could leave their husbands, boyfriends, kids (15 total), jobs, parents and responsibilities behind, and come together for a weekend of fun and socializing! All of us had the same agenda -- we wanted to be happy, healthy and content -- and all of us deeply valued friendship.
At the same time, the seven of us were as different as women can be. Although most of us were working girls, not everyone had a hobby. I could see that I had my work cut out for me in terms of relating how important it is to have something you can call your own. But I also knew that as we got to know each other, we would bond within each passing hour.
A Night on the Town
Eventually, we all got ready and headed out for our big night on the town.
The place was South Beach, the scene was “Night Life,” and we were dressed to kill, or so we thought. As we approached our first night club -- from the front entrance, like most people do -- we were instructed to go to the side of the building and find an entrance there. We were just about to comply when a half-naked, 6-foot tall blond with unbelievably long legs and a scandalously short skirt sashayed up behind us and was immediately welcomed into the front entrance. No one instructed her to use a “service entrance” to get into the club.
At first we looked at one another in total disbelief, then we burst into laughter. And that, ladies, is the greatest part about being Fabulously40. Rather than taking offense at getting turned down, we felt proud that we no longer had to compete. No longer did we have to prove to anyone that we were smarter, wiser, more confident and more composed than some 6-foot anorexic creature with wildly bleached blonde hair and 6-inch high heels!
However, being Fabuously40 also meant that we didn’t have to leave, either. We stood our ground and firmly explained to the bald-headed, overweight, arrogant bouncer (who was wearing sun glasses in the middle of the night!) that there were seven very temperamental women in front of him and he was being discriminatory. Between us we had the power to have him fired and enough legal wits to file a lawsuit against his “fine” establishment. He eyed us cautiously for a minute or two, and then reluctantly agreed that maybe we could use the front door after all.
The irony is that once inside, we quickly agreed that the place wasn’t good enough for the likes of us. We made a hasty exit and headed down the street, where we found another club more to our liking went and had a blast for the rest of the evening.
Wrapping It Up
Many power walks, swim-a-thons, noisy book discussions, movie reviews and “girl talk” sessions later, the weekend finally came to an end. As we threw our belongings into our suitcases and prepared to go our separate ways, we all came to the same conclusion about how to have a great Fabulously40 weekend.
Destination and accommodations are not important. Weather is helpful, but not crucial. Shopping is great, but we could live without it. What we couldn’t do without, and what made the weekend so special, was the exchange of valuable information and nurturing support we all gave each other.
We spent hours putting on make up, experimenting with different hair products and trying on each other clothes. When was the last time we had really done that? Or, more important, when was the last time we had the time, energy or desire to do that?
Personally, I found it very soothing to feel the camaraderie with other women who have the same weight problems, teenager issues and Fab40 medical syndromes and concerns, who want the same things out of life as I do, and more. My Fabulously40 sisters were empowering, inspirational, insightful and funny. The weekend gave me a bust of energy, and I really had to pat myself on the back and say:
Fabulously40, Sorority for Women -- what a great idea!
