This past week I received the most precious gift. It had no monetary value. No one else would want it. In fact, no one else would even look at it twice.

But it is something I have treasured from the moment it was placed in my hands.

It's a letter. The paper is thin and fragile. I can imagine it was once white but is now a creamy yellow, parched by time.

The letter was written on the 9th of July 1974 to a doctor who was also a family friend.

His daughter just recently found it among her father's possessions and gave it to me.

Why me? Well it was written by my father.

This family friend had shown generosity to my dad and he was writing to thank him for his kindness. In the letter my dad speaks of a special night he has organised for my mum.

He is going to take her out for a surprise wedding anniversary dinner.

Now we never went out to restaurants as kids so this must have been very special.

Dad was going to take mum to the Penny Royal and let me tell you, back in 1974 that was pretty flash. I could feel his love for his wife coming through the words. He was excited about this evening.

But then his letter turns its attention to me and my younger brother. We must have been aged two and three.

He says we have "put on one of those evenings" and not in a good way. "What a performance" he says. I can only begin to image what tantrums we must have thrown that night. And while he quickly follows that up by saying how terrific we are, he writes..."Joanne keeps us on our toes with her little ways - Phew".

It is so strange to read this letter written so many years ago. As my dad died when I was a teenager, I can no longer hear his words so to see them in written form is beyond special.

Words are just so precious.

They are not something you think you will miss when someone is gone. You think you might miss their hugs or looking at them.

And yet I would give almost anything for another opportunity to chat with my dad.

To hear his words and hear him say how he felt about me.

For anyone else reading this letter, it wouldn't mean too much. But for me this is an insight into how much my dad loved my mum and his children, although it sounds like I was a bit of a challenge!