Keep going.

One day after I returned to work following the loss of my father, I emailed an older male colleague who had sent me a lovely message expressing his condolences. In our subsequent conversation, he said, “I think your dad would want you to enjoy each day.” It was such a simple thing to say, but it really struck a chord in me. I could almost hear my father saying it. It made sense that the people who loved us would want us to keep going and enjoy life.
While we must grieve, and allow time and space for this, when we are ready, there is also the need to rejoin life, and allow our journey to continue. Experiencing the dying of a loved one can feel like we’ve been away on a distant planet, and then we must somehow return to this world. This re-entry can feel hard and strange, and yet little steps like being around supportive people and gently doing things we enjoy, do help. We can start with just one small thing to commit to enjoying, like listening to a bird sing in the dawn, feeling the warmth of a fire, or noticing Spring blossom. A commitment to enjoy each day isn’t about trying to be happy all the time, but more about being present and appreciating. I find doing this honours my parents, and helps me to more fully live, love, and learn.

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