Sam turns 21.

Just thought I'd share this speech I've written about my boy for tonight- his big party.

Sam in a Nutshell

Firstly, I’d like to thank everyone for coming to this lovely do, organised by Shai and Sam. And Thankyou Shai for sharing this night with Sam, making this night doubly special and half the price!

Sam was born at 4:20 in the afternoon on the November 6^th, 1986. It was a stormy Spring Day in Mullumbimby. We were all shocked at his size- which turned out to be a whopping 10 lbs 9oz- (4.6 kilos). He thrived from the word go- crawling at 6 months, standing at 7 months and walking at 9 months.

He was a happy gregarious toddler who had a way of making a game out of everything from eating to riding on a bus to getting dressed- it all had to have an element of fun. He’s always loved music, and music will always be a big part of his life I believe. When he was a toddler he would get the words wrong to certain songs- for example

Aussie Crawl’s “Beautiful People” was “Bew-bibibee Bong”- well who could get that right anyway?

Sam’s grandma recalls his serenading everyone at the supermarket loudly with his rendition of “Love Shack” when he was about 3. When he was 5 he wrote a very rocky song which he shared in class at school, called “Going down the Road Really Fast”- and his taste in music moved quickly moved from Billy Joel (thankfully short lived), to Peter Coombe and onto Led Zeppelin, and so Johnny and I had to relive our teenage- hoods and go through that phase again.

Not many of you will know this, but Sam and Shai’s friendship was probably cemented more around music than anything else, as both were involved in the school band at Joeys.

Sam’s ability to get passionately interested in things meant we all would get dragged along for the ride- from Dinosaurs through to Air-cadets and everything in between, Ninja Turtles, Thomas the Tank Engine, Billy carts, (we’ll never forget that famous downhill ride at Joeys, the one that sent him flying in the air one day when he hit a ditch), rollerblades, footy, cricket and cubs, he had a go at everything.

He was always prepared to have a go- even if he was scared! I’ll never forget our trip to NZ in 1999, when we went on a bit of a kayaking adventure- he became entangled in vicious blackberries and then managed to fall out of the kayak. I’ll never forget the look of panic on his face as he went spilling over into the cold water- only to find it was about waist height- I think he thought he was going to be swept to his death!

Do you remember Sam, the Pirate Ship at Sea World- you were about 7, apparently you screamed and screamed through the whole ride, causing Dad to wonder if perhaps he had made a mistake in taking you on!

Sam’s greatest interest and the place where a few of you would have got to know him was Air Cadets. Planes, flying and most important of all, the bivouacs were his great love for a number of years- and I think set him up well in life with many skills and opportunities to show his leadership and innovative ideas.

Of course Sam has had a try at being a bit of a rebel too, for example growing a mo-hawk in year 11. And all those detentions- which were somehow “Not his fault”- what was that about?

What ever Sam has chosen to do over the years, well he does it to the extreme if it’s something he loves to do, so I feel confident Sam that your future holds the promise of personal success because you only do what you really want to do, and do it well.

Your strong will- which often got you into trouble when you were young has become a great plus in your adult life. I’m sure you need this quality to succeed in the area of Hospitality, and you will make a great chef.

The other thing I have to mention is that you have always attracted really nice people to yourself- and have chosen your friends well, and I have to include Jayne in this group. You share of yourself and are generous to a fault, even to the inclusion of your little sister in your band!

Don’t ever change, we love you jsut the way you are - good luck with your future and God Bless you in all you do.