99 and still going strong …

Last weekend we celebrated my Dad’s 99th birthday in England, and it was a truly special family day.

He was born in 1927. At that time, the world looked very different. Television had only just been invented – there were no computers, no mobile phones, and certainly no internet. Over the years, he has seen extraordinary changes. He has lived through the Second World War, the invention of modern television, the arrival of space travel, and the complete digital revolution.

When he was young, people wrote letters and waited patiently for replies. Today, he won’t leave the house without his iPhone. He has learned how to send messages and use FaceTime, and on his birthday he was delighted that he could speak with family in Germany and in different parts of England within seconds as he still remembers a completely different world, where he spent his youth listening to bombs in the cellar and where food was rationed.

What I admire most is his attitude. He has always tried to understand new things. He asks questions and listens carefully. Recently, I tried to explain Apple Pay to him. He was very confused at first. He simply couldn’t work out where the bank card was “inside” the phone. “But where is it?” he kept asking 🙂

If you ask him about the secret of his long life, he gives a simple answer: a positive attitude, a healthy diet and his motto „Keep moving.“ You should see him charging around his bungalow with his rollator! He has never been someone who complains. He enjoys people, he stays curious, and he laughs easily.

Looking at him at 99, I don’t just see a Dad who was born almost a century ago. I see someone who has embraced change, stayed curious, and truly lived through history with an open mind. I am very proud to be his daughter.