Saying Goodbye

Yesterday Danika and I drove down the coast to Wynyard to see Dad. Most of you know that Dad still lives by himself and is totally independant at 93.  He keeps in pretty good health and always feels better in summer. He cooks his own meals , does his own washing etc and makes jam, bread and pickles. 

    

 Dad in the jumper I knitted him last year - he said it was so big,

 I could give it to David Foster - cheeky bugger!

I rang him Tuesday to tell him that we would be coming down for a visit and he said that he was worried that I might already have left as he knew that it was coming up to leaving day soon. 

I would never have left the state without seeing Dad first.

We had a lovely few hours together talking and reminiscing.  When Danika and Shaun drove home just prior to Christmas, they came through the centre of Australia. Part of the trip was a visit to Uluru (Ayers Rock) and so Dad was telling Danika about the time that he and Mum went to Ayers Rock (as it was then). I told Danika that Dad bought a t-shirt  the night before he climbed the rock, that said  "I climbed Ayers Rock!"

He has always been like that, if he says he is going to do something, then he does it.

So as I was saying goodbye to Dad, I told him to take care of himself and not to overdo it, etc etc. I also said to him, "and always remember how much I love you!"

If there is one thing that I have learnt over my 52 years, it is never miss an opportunity to tell people you love that you do. I tell my friends, I tell my kids, I tell my sisters and brother and I tell my husband.  And when I tell people I love them, I mean it. 

In my fortunate life, I feel so lucky to still have my Dad; to have sisters and a brother to love and have as friends; I feel blessed to have friends that listen to me, support me and make me laugh when I'm blue. I am blessed to have three wonderful kids without whom I just could not have made it through the last couple of months. So telling them I love them is important. I would not want them to ever doubt the depth of my love for them.

We only have four more sleeps now till Departure Day.  Those antelopes are galloping again and I am only too aware that yesterday was just the start of the hard goodbyes. 

I hope and pray for the courage I need to be brave.