Sometimes I try to pick up a memory based on a theme like say Christmas 1990 and then wander around the halls of my memories of all Christmases past. Well we're not going there today. Instead I stumbled onto a journey of "Take your Child to Work Day".
My earliest memories were of being whisked (usually classes getting cancelled due to incoming typhoon) from school by my father and I have to spend the rest of the day at his office. I have fond childhood memories of my Papa's office
The first thing is the smell of air-conditioning, which later as an adult I would describe as stale cigarette smoke but very cold. And then there were those marble floors and walls at reception, and those modern elevators that have softly illuminated touch sensitive buttons instead of the usual clunky black Bakelite buttons of older models. Even the soft ding announcing its arrival had a richness to it. Perhaps because it was an actual chime being triggered by an electric relay. It was the modern office of its time, it had to be, it was the offices of IBM Philippines.
I also have memories of my mother taking me to work at her office in Escolta. I was very young, maybe four? I remember a lot of walking "downtown" as it was referred to back then. I also recall a Philippine government office my mother worked in for a while, it was an old building maybe built just after the war, and it had no air-conditioning. As I try to stitch it all together in my personal memories playlist, I realise that it didn't really stop even after I've grown up into adulthood. I still visited him to maybe catch a lift, or just because I was in the neighborhood. The one consistent thing is that my parents were always proud of me when they presented me to their colleagues.
Fast forward to today, when I woke up accepting that it will be a challenging day of back to back Salsa 4 Seniors classes #B2BS4S. But wait a minute, today is also the last day of radiation treatment for Beatriz! It is also today that she had to speak before a legal panel deciding the outcome of a high rise development next to our local school. Yeah, big day for all. We have been looking forward to today and it has arrived.
I could do with some support today. Luckily, my daughter Alexandra said she was going to "see" if she could accompany me on my classes today. Over the last few years I have cultivated an attitude of zen when it comes to getting facetime with Alex. Let's just say that I wish I could see her more. I will take every chance I can get to spend even a little bit of time with her even if it's just 12 minutes at a train platform before we go catch our respective trains. The idea of sharing a day with her is huge.
I send Alex a quick text message just in case she forgot and there is still a chance to make it. My phone rings and it's her, She just got up. She forgot. She'll catch the bus to Chiswick. I message her the bus route.
My heart suddenly feels lighter. I make my way to Chiswick class but now getting really excited about having facetime with Alex. And I could also use her as my teaching assistant, oh what fun that will be. You couldn't wipe the smile off my face when Alex walked through that door at the start of class.
I was a proud father when I introduced Alex to my students. And then it occured to me.
This is "Take Your Child to Work Day" [adult child edition].
I was instantly drawn back into a vortex of countless memories of the times I took her to work as she was growing up. How strange it must be for her to witness my changing career choices. From offices at North Ryde and Rhodes, to teaching dance in community halls. Until now, I bet she's unsure how big a part she's played into making my life what it is today.
Alex: You reminded me how to live in trust rather than in fear of our future. Today, this perfect day, and many different things contributed to making it perfect. Today is made possible with you convincing me that it will all turn out great in the end. You were right.
I took my child to work today and I hope she is proud of me as I am proud to be her father.
