Dear All Two

My first hint that someone like Nick Crews existed in the world came via a comment

piece in my broadsheet by UK novelist/columnist Christina Odone. She gave her take on this odious man’s major dummy spit, which has evidently caused a shit storm in the UK. In an email, he really let loose on his adult children, as may see from the attached link. It makes for cringeworthy reading as he vomits a barrage of torpedoes against the, according to him, rotten fruit of his loins. This retired captain of a nuclear submarine must have been hell to serve under if he treated his sailors in the same manner as his offspring. He has a poleaxed view of how family dynamics should work

The first point I would make is that this sorry excuse for a father has not the apparent nous to realise Generations X and Y are very different beasts to we baby-boomers. Their views as to the worthiness of loyalty, persistence and preparedness to make sacrifices may indeed be somewhat different to those stereotypically formed by us born of the immediate post-war years. I would argue that these succeeding generations are what they are because of the world we, you and I Mr Crews, created – a world of diminished returns. It has been argued that our generation, Mr C, is the one that has experienced our planet at its best for, from here on in, with global warming and the GFC, at least the Western World as we know it, is entering a period of decline. Life was sure simpler, speaking as a BBer, when we were in our pomp, Mr C. The digital age on top of the aforementioned has ramped up communal stress, weight levels, personal angst and nannystateism. It is little wonder that X and Y perceive it all a little differently than we about to enter our dotage, Mr C.

On a personal level and conversely to you Mr C, I am in awe of my two. My treasured daughter is a young woman a smidge past thirty. My adored son is not far off that life watershed mark. It would be foolhardy to say that they are both perfect in every way, just as I as a father no doubt have my faults, but they are pretty close. Within both an immense goodness resides. The way you have dissed out on your three, Mr C, simply makes my blood boil – you are quite execrable.

I love my two for many reasons, one being their resilience. Between them they have had health issues to come to terms with, together with disappointments in matters of the heart and vocationally. As for the latter, gone are the days, Mr C, when there was the safety net of a job for life as there was for you and I! As for the former, they are both with wonderful partners and, touch wood; it is within those relationships they’ll dance till the end of days. If not, though, it is not the end of the world. Maintaining good relations with one’s chosen one is perhaps not as easy as it once was as societal pressure becomes more and more challenging, but I know my two will not give up easily. They are chalk and cheese my daughter and son. She writes like an angel for her living and wears her passion for all forms of social justice on her sleeve. He possesses the hands of his grandfather and simply amazes his old man with what he can do with them. They have a commonality in, apart from opposite dimples, standing up for what they believe to be right, even if it costs. And, like me, they both collect. Recently this year I watched as my daughter gritted her teeth and used every last ounce of resolve to get through a difficult pregnancy. As a result of her toughness and stoicism, I now have the wondrous Tessa Tiger to place in my arms. It doesn’t get better than that, Mr C – but to give you your dues, you do seem to have feelings for your children’s children. My lad, I have no doubt, will be as great an uncle as he is a son.

Of course it is all a smidge easier for us living, as we do, in a temperate paradise at the southern fringe of the planet. Here the edge has been taken off the pace of life that afflicts those unfortunate and silly enough to live elsewhere.

Christmas is approaching and, although I know the days when we were all able to gather around that laden northern table are now gone, as I have become a southerner, we’ll be seeing each other, with the added icing of an imp giving the festive season even more lustre. I can’t wait, but I wonder what your Christmas will be like this year, Mr C?

Kate and Rich, this old fellow is so proud of you both.

The email = http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2234231/The-despairing-father-For-years-Naval-Commander-Nick-Crews-bottled-frustration--snapped-sent-excoriating-email-tearing-family-apart.html