[WARNING: to all reserved English gentlemen who may read this post. I, Eliza Dawson, have posted it – which means it may contain rather personal and loving words and may prove to be a little on the enthusiastic side. Fear not, I have had the English gentleman who resides here edit out anything he deemed to be “too much of a good thing”. I have been known to over do it without knowing I have over done it. ]

My father in-law, Stephen, happens to be one of the kindest and best men I know. Today is his birthday, and if you are a faithful reader of this blog you will have noticed that I like to celebrate the people that I cherish. Stephen is one such person.

Stephen is a man of many talents. Everything he does, he does well. If he decides to do it, it is going to get done and it is going to be AWESOME. When I first met him he was getting ready to “retire” (I have to put retire in quotation marks because Stephen and Gitte’s definition of retiring is not what most people think of when you hear the word). His idea of retirement was a plan to set up what is known as a venture philanthropy trust. He wanted to use the skills he’d developed as a venture capitalist in the charity sector. He wanted to help charities that were in a period of transition, that were doing well but needed funding and advice about how to expand their sphere of influence. He was one of the very first to tackle such an endeavor in the UK, a pioneer, if you will.  I remember him saying that he wasn’t sure what the outcome would be. How did it all turn out? Well, almost seven years out, after countless awards, numerous newspaper articles and lots and lots of success the thing practically runs itself. Check it out. You’ll be inspired.

http://www.impetus.org.uk

Now he is on to a new project. Doing a similar thing in Africa.

Need I say more? No, but I will.

Stephen is a wonderful mixture, a contradiction even, of massive drive and ambition coupled with a true love of humanity and a deep desire to help those in need.

He goes about everything he does quietly and humbly. I think one of the things that strikes me the most about Stephen is his humility. He doesn’t flap his lips about his many accomplishments. BUT I FLAP MINE! (Ain’t it grand to have an American daughter-in-law? Ain’t it?)

He is a devoted husband. He and Gitte are quite the team. They truly are a “dynamic duo”. They are each stunning humans in their own right but together – LOOK OUT! they are going to get the job done, people. One year Stephen was given the “Personality of the Year” award from the Private Equity Awards. And then the following year Gitte was named, “Woman of the Year” in Bath. You see what I mean by dynamic, right? I know I have a tendency to get enthusiastic and excited, but seriously, these two are something special. They are good. They are firm in their convictions. And if they believe in something they will work and work and work until they have met their goals. They are also VERY generous with their means, their time and their energy. I personally feel very blessed that they love each other. In this day and age when marriages seem to be unraveling all around us I am so grateful that they are true to each other.  To me that is one of their greatest achievements.

Stephen is also a wonderful father and a terrific grandfather. He is the type of grandfather who gets down on the ground and rolls around with his progeny. I love to watch him with our girls. It makes me so happy to see them basking in his wonderful intelligence, his fun, his humor and his love. And do they lap it up! Millie just adores her “Papa”!

Stephen, like his father before him, is a talented gardener. I wish you could see his garden. It is spectacular. Like everything he does – he does it well and makes it seem as if it is no big deal. But now that we have to take care of a garden (and we are NOT very good at it) I have come to realize what a gift Stephen has.

The man loves walking. He is a serious walker. He has walked his way across the globe. Sometimes he talks Gitte into joining him. Most recently they have walked through Nepal and Ethiopia.  Once he invited Jan and I along. We walked the Inca Trail together. At the end of it all he told me that his parents used to take prospective family members (fiances, girlfriend, boyfriends etc) on long walks to see if they could “handle it”. He said I passed. That was good news since Jan and I had been married for a year and I am pretty sure that I was no longer returnable. I told him that I was glad he hadn’t seen me crying on the top of the mountain when I had been wet for two days straight and wasn’t sure I would ever be dry again.

Every time we are in Bath we know one thing is for certain. There will be a walk. It will be led by Stephen. And it will be gloriously beautiful. 

They like to get ’em started young in the Dawson family!  See the photo below for proof. This was Millie a year and a half ago. Not bad for a 2 1/2 year old, if I do say so myself!

I recognize that so much of the happiness that I enjoy on a daily basis is due to this very good man. The love and teaching that he has given to his own son blesses our little family on a daily basis. I am most grateful to Stephen for this.

And I for one would like to wish him the happiest of birthdays!