Ben Daniher

When you're asked to speak at your father's funeral, particularly a state funeral, I thought I'd be spending many days trying to work out what to say.

The truth is, Dad made it easy.

Because there was one thing that Dad gave me that helped make sense of life.

It was an acronym.

WITO.

W-I-T-O.

Which stands for, Where is the Opportunity?

Dad taught us that life isn't a matter of if things will get tough, it's just a matter of when and how often.

The question wasn't, why me?

The question was, where is the opportunity?

And trust me, Dad found opportunities everywhere.

Sometimes where the rest of us couldn't see them, sometimes where the rest of us wished he couldn't.

Take his chocolate and biscuits.

Many of you know Dad as the footballer, the coach, the campaigner.

I knew him as a man with a sweet tooth who occasionally hid his chocolate biscuits from us four kids.

One day, I discovered the hiding spot and identified an opportunity.

A wonderful opportunity.

I recruited Bec into the mission.

Of course, she wanted nothing to do it, but was happy to be my stepladder.

As I performed my version of Jez Alenko, you beauty, on Bec's shoulders, I secured the biscuits.