Yet again only yesterday I was discussing how life changing it can be when we lose a parent. It is the only time I can honestly say I have felt I have lost my sense of purpose.

We know that one day we will have to say goodbye to our parents and whenever that time comes whether they have lived a long and happy life or not we will feel it is too soon. In our bereavement journey we must remember that the intensity of the relationship will also determine how our grief affects us. Though we must go on living as our loved ones would wish us to do…some days this will feel easy to achieve whilst others  it may feel an effort just to do the simplest of things.

Does it get easier? Yes in many ways though this is often down in part to accepting they are no longer around and this will take time. We keep our loved ones alive in our minds and in our hearts and by remembering the happy times, their achievements and their words of wisdom that they passed on to us. We owe it to their memory to go on, live our life to the full and carrying on achieving in their memory.

At a family gathering last weekend I believe my brother and I surprised some of the younger family members when we revealed how strong and determined ‘their kind and loving nanny’ could be  – a formidable woman not to be under-estimated.

This reminded me how our mum used to say she regretted that none of us really knew my father (who died very young) as a man only a provider…something we surely missed out on.

If you are lucky enough to still have your parents alive..then make the most of them and find out their stories to pass down to the next generations.