Without a Doubt

Submitted by: Betty (Radford) Puddicombe

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I grew up in the small town of Amesdale, Ontario. There was a CN station where my Dad worked, a one room school house, six or seven other families, and a pond that you swam in in the summer, and skated on in the winter.

The year I turned eleven, my parents separated, and the decision was made that my older brother, my baby sister and I would stay living with Dad -- the best desicion that was ever made. But, life wasn't bad; and as a child, you accept what you are given.

As Christmas approached, my sister, who was five, asked lots of questions. "Would we have Christmas this year?" "What would Christmas be like without Mom?" and of course, "Would Santa still come to our house?". I told her that everything would be okay, then i prayed really hard, because I too had doubts.

Dad worked very hard on the railroad and looking after us; and often at night we would hear him up puttering around; but after all he had been through, it didn't surprise us. Christmas Eve, we were invited out, and as we walked home, I prayed again because my heart was heavy, and it was like an angel touched me and said --"Don't Doubt".

Christmas morning we woke up to the smell of turkey cooking and Dad shouting "Merry Christmas Girls!". That Christmas, my sister and I got new coats and shiny new skates. After breakfast and listening to the Queen's message on the radio ( Dad was from England, and that was important), Dad told us to go try out our new skates. That was great, but it meant shovelling off the pond first. But, off we went - only to find that somewhere between late Christmas Eve and early Christmas morning, our big brother and our Dad had cleaned off the pond.

After skating for a couple of hours, we headed home. As we walked in the door, we were so surprised -- the table was set beautifully and we sat down to turkey, dressing and all the trimmings; including Christmas cake and mincemeat pie -- all homemade by our Dad.

As I looked across the table at my Dad, I knew without a doubt, that my Dad was the most amazing and loving Dad in the world. As I gave him a hug and said thank-you, he just smiled and said "Didn't I always tell you all that I loved you as big as the world?"

That, without a doubt, was my most memorable Christmas!!!!