1/1/2012

For this new year, I’ve decided I’ll put some of my stories on this site for your enjoyment. I’m even considering putting up some pictures for kids to color. But first thing’s first. Read the gift and feel free to sent me your comments and input. If you are an artist and would like to illustrate for Papa Didos send me some sketch ideas.

The Gift

This is the story of a father and his son and the enormous love the father held in his heart. Peter was the man’s name and his son was named Troy. Peter and Troy lived a very happy and good life. Pete made sure that his son never needed anything because he always wanted to provide everything for his family.

Peter worked very hard. Sometimes he worked too hard, but to him his son was worth every bit of hardship he endured. This hard work made their family very rich and prosperous.

Troy had many toys to play with, a very nice room, and good food to eat. Troy liked all his things but what he really wanted more than anything in the world was to spend more time with his father.

One day a big tragedy struck. There was bright lightning, loud thunder, strong winds, heavy rain, and a huge flood. Peter did everything to protect Troy from this natural disaster. When the storm finished Troy remained in good health and perfect condition. The same could not be said about their home. Unfortunately, everything Peter ever worked for had been destroyed just like that. And, Protecting Troy from the storm took all of Peter’s strength. It had been so draining. Peter could not regain the strength he needed for his job. Even though Peter had become much weaker, his mind was still very strong. He knew that he and troy would survive this tragedy.

Peter eventually got himself another job. It didn’t pay him very much but it allowed him to have more time with troy. Life passed pleasantly this way. Both were very happy. They had enough money to eat and to have a small cozy place together.

Even though Troy was very happy, Peter still felt like he wanted to give Troy more. Peter knew that his son would not always be small and young. Peter wanted to prepare his son for the world. Peter also knew that Troy would soon need more than he could give. Troy didn’t know of his father’s feelings because he was still too young to understand the responsibilities of an adult. He did feel that his father was a tiny bit different from before, but that never changed the love he had for his daddy.

Some time passed this way. Then one day, Troy asked his daddy a question. It didn’t matter much to Troy because he was very happy as long as his daddy was around, but he asked his daddy if they were going to rebuild their old home.
Peter told Troy they could rebuild it. But Peter said that he had a gift for Troy. He said it was a very special and magical gift and that he wanted Troy to have it. It was only for those people who he loved so dearly. He also said when he received the gift the rebuilt house wouldn’t be far behind.

Troy was happy to hear this. He asked his daddy what was this special present.
Peter told Troy that the gift would came after they played a game. Peter explained that the game had several rules that needed to be followed. The rules were this. The players needed to always try with all their heart. It didn’t matter how difficult the game became, if the players didn’t give everything (even to the smallest details of the game) it wouldn’t be worth it. The second rule was that if there was a piece of the game that was unclear or not understood, you must ask questions except one. There was only one question, which you couldn’t ask. This question was the third rule. There couldn’t be any questions asked about the gift. The point of playing was not for what came at the end but for the game itself. The fourth rule was that giving up was not an option.

Troy said “Wow daddy. That’s a lot of rules!”
Then his daddy said “Troy, even though there are many rules there are some other things you should know about the game. First, there are no wrong moves if you follow the rules. Second, the game will give you fun memories that will make you smile. And finally, as much love as you give to the game, the gift you receive will give you double the love you put in. then daddy asked Troy if he was ready to begin playing. Troy jumped up and down with excitement, “Yes, yes, yes!” he exclaimed.

“O.K.” daddy explained, there are very many parts to this game. Whenever we get past one level, there will be another level. The first level is to understand words. I will write down all the letters for you and you will learn them all.” So Troy began the game. Troy paid very close attention and focused his energy on what peter told him to do. The minutes became days. And Troy mastered all the letters his father gave him. He did this very, very quickly – So quickly it even surprised Peter. So then Peter told Troy that the letters were put together to make words. The next part of the game was to understand how the letters joined together to make words.

Peter worked and he brought Troy with him. Troy played his game diligently and soon he was reading and writing. This part of the game truly came to life. There were many, many things for troy to read. The books he read grew in size as Troy grew in size. Troy was happy to keep playing this special game as his daddy worked. Peter was happy at work because he could take small breaks to help Troy if he became stuck or had a question.

Troy found that he would lose himself for hours in books because they would take him on one adventure after another. They could carry him off to distant lands and put him in contact with strange creatures. The more books Troy read the more his own imagination grew.

One day Troy asked his daddy how all the adventures were put inside books.

Peter told Troy that with that question he advanced another level in the game. By advancing Peter would now teach him how to play the next stage. Peter explained to Troy how the imagination was a very powerful thing. Anything that could be imagined can come to life. So blank pages became stories, adventure, and fantasy. It all starts with the idea. Then the idea is put onto paper by writing words and the words were there to describe every detail that could be imagined.
Troy was amazed and he began to write down many different ideas and thoughts. And because Troy had put so many things into his mind with all the reading he did, ideas came out just as easily. His mind was like a bank of adventures and stories he drew his ideas from.

Peter and Troy naturally both grew older. Troy grew stronger. Peter noted this and decided Troy was ready for the physical part of the game. Peter showed troy many actives on the out side, in fields, and different courts. Troy was a natural. Any ball he picked up he could throw far and accurately. Troy could play for hours outside before he became tired. There were even days when Troy had more energy than Peter. Watching Troy master all these different levels of the game brought so many joys to Peter’s heart.

By this time the game was second nature to Troy. He even forgot he was playing the game most of the time. Whenever he mastered on part of the game another level would be shown to him but all the parts were connected. If Troy began to forget one part of the game Peter would remind him about keeping everything in balance. Peter said that Troy needed to always be mindful in taking care of both the physical part of the game and the learning part of the game .the two parts worked together and of one part got too big, Troy would lose his balance.

Troy listened. From the reading and writing cane mathematics, followed by science. There was a third part of the game as well. The third part dealt with emotion and feeling. It explored the arts. Of course this part started when Peter asked Troy to use his imagination, but it really blossomed when he listened to music, drew, or made things with his hands.
Peter took so much delight in seeing his son blossom. It was amazing how Troy grasped one skill after another. Troy also felt happy and content with the things he learned and the parts of the game, which he perfected.

After a few more years the various parts of the game took up all of his time. He kept busy and always gave his best. Troy was enrolled in a school where all the parts of the game were useful. There were competitions on the different parts of the game, sometimes with other school and other people. But Troy remembered what his father taught him as one of the rules of the game. He remembered that he must always try with all his heart. Sometimes he lost the competition, but usually he would win. But, win or lose, Troy always stayed happy.

Peter was always on hand to support Troy every step of the way. No matter what happened peter was never disappointed. In stead, he was always proud of his son in everything he did. Tory continued doing his best and the days turned into months, and the months turned into years. And the year began to pass very quickly. The game took Troy to many places.

During this time Peter, although lonely, felt nothing but joy in seeming Troy accomplished amazing feats at the highest levels of the game. Also during this time colleges came to visit Troy. Different colleges wanted Troy to attend their schools to play different games.

When it came time to choose where to go to college Troy asked his daddy to help him. Peter smiled at Troy and said that he was becoming quite a master at this game. Some of the schools were bigger and more famous but further away, while other were smaller, less famous but closer to home. Peter told Troy. “Think with your head but listen to your heart. There is no wrong choice.”

Troy picked the college that was closer to home. His studies provided him with little time to visit home but every chance he had he returned to see Peter. During these years Peter worked very little and his hair changed color. But, it was as if Peter played the game just like Troy. Everything he did he did with all his heart.

Soon Troy’s time came to graduate from college and get a job. Troy became a doctor. Troy wanted to save lives and help many people feel better. He used the rules of the game in his job just the same. Then one day he came home and told his daddy that he wanted to marry a girl. Peter was so very happy for his son.

So Troy got married and soon after had his own son. He named his son Dee. Troy felt so much love and joy with the birth of his son. And thought to himself about his own father and how special he was to him. He hoped in his heart that he would be able to give Dee just as happy a childhood.

Peter was happy whenever Troy, his wife and Dee came to visit him but because he was older and gray, he retired from working. Peter still kept active but he often felt lonely.

Troy could sense the way his father felt and one day he decided he would rebuild the great home they once lived in. troy put so much love into building the home. Every brick every piece of furniture and every decoration he put his whole heart into. When the house was finished, Troy asked his father to come live with them. Peter was so delighted. He knew that he wanted to spend so much time with little Dee, his grandson.

Some time passed and Peter and Dee became very close. They were like two buddies that did so much together.
But one day, Peter became ill. Even though he was old he stayed happy and still tried to do everything with all his heart. But his heart had come close to its last beats.

Troy, being a doctor, tried everything he could to make his father better, but nothing worked. When Troy and Peter were alone one day, Peter said to Troy that he didn’t want to try any more medicines. He just wanted to be happy because he knew his time was up. Troy knew he had to listen to his father.

Then Peter got up and asked if Troy would take a walk with him. The two of them walked in the sun and stopped at a tree then sat in the shade.

Right then Troy looked at his father and he said “thank you”. Peter asked Troy why he was thanking him. Troy said ”For the gift, daddy. Everything I am, everything I have, and all the good inside me is from you. Its from the game.”
Peter them replied. “Troy, you are my joy. I too played the game at the same time as you and I have won. Any joy that you received from playing I received it double from watching you. I’ve had no greater joy in life than seeing you become a strong, beautiful man. I love you, son.”

Troy hugged his father “I love you too, dad “. And with that his father left this world, but he left happy.
The next few weeks many things happened which Dee didn’t understand. All he knew was that grandpa Peter wasn’t around anymore and his dad seemed very busy. One day when Dee saw his daddy alone in a room he went to see him. When Troy turned around there were a few tears in his eyes. Dee asked his father “Daddy, why are you crying? Is it because you miss grandpa?”

Troy picked Dee up, gave him a hug then sat him on his lap and he said “Yes, Dee, I miss grandpa a lot.”
Dee told his dad that he missed grandpa very much as well.

Dee asked Troy, “Will grandpa be coming back to live with us again?”
Just then, Troy smiled and said, “Grandpa will always be with us, Dee. When you think about him that means you have him in your heart.”
Dee was amazed. He looked at his chest put his hands over his heart and he asked how grandpa got in there.
That’s when Troy said “Grandpa Peter was a very smart man. He always knew how to find a way into a person’s heart. He taught me a very special game and gave me a very, very special gift.”
Dee was amazed and wanted to know if he could see the gift.
Troy told Dee that he would pass the gift on to him if he wanted to play the game as well Dee jumped up and down with delight – he loved playing games. And just that the two of them started a new game.

Until the next adventure