Happy childhood memories stay with us throughout our lives, giving us strength in good times and in bad times. For me it was those endless summer vacations lazing about in the sunshine with family and friends. I always looked up to my father as some sort of wise guy or even hero – for a little while, at least. Parental ‘wisdom’ can sometimes seem a little questionable in hindsight, despite all good intentions. But recently I discovered there was something more than just memories that I had been carrying with me from the good old days – something that would change my life and the way I looked at things forever.
It all started about 50 years ago, when my father was convinced that kids needed three sunburns a year to strengthen their immune system. Every summer we spent most of our leisure time at the local outdoor swimming pool, but like most people back then, we never applied sunscreens at all. I’m not sure if this was because we couldn’t afford them or whether they were simply considered useless. Either way, I’ll never forget all those times my mother applied vinegar-soaked tissues to my terribly sore back. To be honest, I didn&rs ...