It was terrible to lose my dad when I was only 10 years old. I had no idea that he had left me a valuable gift that would bring me comfort and joy 20 years later. I loved the talking teddy bear he gave me as his last gift very much.
The teddy bear was a treasured keepsake that always made me think of how much my dad loved me. I gave the teddy bear to my own son when he turned 7 years old. But as we opened it up to put in new batteries, I found something amazing.
It was hidden next to the battery box. It was a small cassette tape. I was shocked and couldn’t believe no one had noticed it for so long. As my heart beat faster, I looked for a cassette player and finally found one. My dad’s voice filled the room as soon as I hit “play,” and I felt so sad.
The tape was a heartfelt recording of my dad telling me his favourite stories, talking about happy memories, and giving me advice for the future. His message to his grandkids, whom he would never get to meet, was what moved me the most. He told me to give them the tape so they could “meet” their grandpa.
My heart was touched by what I learnt, and I knew what I needed to do. The tape is now our most-loved family keepsake because I gave it to my son. My son loves hearing his grandfather’s voice, and I’m glad I can pass on this part of my dad’s love and memory to the next generation.
