As you walk through the patio and into the observatory of my house, you will notice a three seater metal bench placed just at a tiny corner of the covered patio. Coated in green, how can such a lifeless-looking cold metal structure be providing me with immense satisfaction and joy almost daily?

I remembered its humble origins. I never had this metal bench all the while. It was on a very dark day to begin with that my best friend Peter Duss brought it in to the house. Peter said it was a gift to me, and he carried it onto the patio with his wife during that slightly breezy evening.

That day was one of the darkest days of my life. It was so because I had just returned from the hospital, with news of the results of the blood tests for my son who was diagnosed with almost complete bone marrow failure. There would need to be an international search for a bone marrow donor, as this auto immune disease would quickly wreck his health. I was crying.

Peter told me the metal bench placed on the patio would allow me time to sit there to spend with my son when he would be discharged from the hospital. It would be a great place to bond with my son again, and to enjoy the ambience of the evenings together on the patio, to watch whatever was happening around together and to enjoy the breeze, and the sounds of the night together with my son.

This was exactly what we did.

The metal bench was to be the focus place where father and son would be together for many nights, just being together to face the difficulties ahead.

In the end, after numerous sessions of chemotherapy, and treatment, my son was blessed with a recovery, and the green metal patio bench remained in its place.

It is now 4 years past this episode, and the patio chair is still providing that opportunity to bond with anyone in the family and with friends.

If ever you wish to give a gift to someone dear, to someone you love, consider that a patio chair can give immense meaning and provide opportunities for family bonding.

I know... this green metal patio bench did exactly that, and both the gift and the giver have a special place in my heart.