Fast forward a few years, and in my early twenties, the man who had overcome every obstacle to make sure he could be with the woman he loved, died peacefully at home and I was by his side.
Watching this big strong man deteriorate was one of the hardest things our family ever had to endure, but now I consider myself one of the lucky ones. I almost feel sorry for people who haven’t experienced loss, because many are still to learn how precious life is. In those last few months of his life my step-dad taught me to focus on what you want, and to do what it takes to get what it, and if you can't...to be flexible, to love, to be honest and true, to tell people how you feel before it’s too late, to apologise for things that are on your mind (most of the time the other person may well have already forgotten and forgiven), to have no regrets, and to face your fears with a smile…. the biggest lesson for me; not to wait until the last moment.
We all hope to leave a legacy, and he certainly did.
Happy father’s day to everyone today; whether your dad is around or not, we can all be rich in life.