Remembering Dad

A week ago while I was hiking up in the hills behind our house in Wainui,  I wrote the following by dictating into my iphone.   It was supposed to be posted that evening but then my laptop crashed and a week of rectifying the problem ensued.   Dad – I’m still thinking about you and this is in honor of you!

August 23:

Today marks the third anniversary of my father’s passing. While the pain and grief from that time has passed, he still remains in my heart. So with dad also comes all the other relatives who have passed and I remember from my childhood

On this beautiful sunny day in remembrance I am reminded that life is precious and needs to be enjoyed to the fullest while we can.    Some days are overwhelming with all the to-dos:  all the people to connect with, all the emails to respond to, all the phone calls to return.

For today I am putting all that aside and remembering to nurture myself for when I am centered and grounded I can be strong not only for me and my family but for everyone around me. And it is then I can remember to act with kindness in every action that I take.

Today while Bruce is in town Nina and I are enjoying a walk up into the Banks Peninsula Hills on this amazing end of winter day.

And when I return to the house I will continue on with my ‘me’ day doing the things that I love to do.  I honor all my friends and family and trust that you know that I do the best I can to be there for you but some days I just need to be there for me.

Dad, thank you for being a great father and doing the best you could for your family. I will never forget the last gifts you gave us in the act of your dying and the miracles and angels that surrounded us throughout the whole journey.    It continues on as I know the world is a miraculous place if we choose to see it through that lens.