25th of January, Burns Night.
It's a very special day for me because today marks my dads birthday. He's not here to celebrate it but I will take a moment later today and raise a wee dram and have a chat with him.
My dad had lots of very close friends in Scotland. With his birthday being on this particular date he'd often be in Edinburgh today with them all and would be out celebrating into the early hours, and I guarantee would be nursing a slightly sore head tomorrow morning.
He'd often take the opportunity of being in Scotland to tour the small town rugby grounds in the Borders. My dad was obsessed with rugby, he played well into his forties and then coached afterwards and lived and breathed every second of every game he ever watched. I remember him telling me about his first mini tour there and to me it sounded almost like a pilgrimage of some sort. He never really spoke about things he wanted to do in life but I know this was a big thing for him.
He had some wonderful times and special moments in Scotland but I have to say it was the people that would make him glow more than anything else. It seemed like he made new friends every time he went and he would always talk about the friendly welcome he received everywhere he visited. He went to the Tattoo one year and became pen pals (email was something he wasn't interested in) with the couple who were sat next to him, I absolutely love that.
So to you dad, Happy Birthday. Miss you.
Today I will think about you surrounded by old and new friends in Edinburgh and I also think about the friends I have met through the community and to those of you in Scotland I wish you a Happy Burns Night - I'll possibly have a wee dram for you all as well.
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