My father passed away two years ago.
There is a void that will never be filled.
There are days when I wish I can give him a hug and tell him how much I
love him.
I would settle for a moment just to be able to pick up the phone, just to
hear his voice.
And then there’s Mom.
Mom got married to my Dad when she was just sixteen. They were together for
over 50 years, and the last 7 years were spent looking after my sick Dad.
As much as my life will never be the same now that Dad is in Heaven, I
can’t fully comprehend how my Mom feels.
How do you find calmness when every moment you’re reminded of someone you
love?
When you spent most of your life waking up with the person you love, what
happens on days when you turnaround and he’s no longer there?
When your children remind you of how he once laughed, smiled or talked –
how do you control your tears?
When the sun rises and its radiant glow penetrates through the windows, or
when the sun sets and it’s pinkish-orange color covers the skies? Or when you feel like he’s about to walk
through that door to give you a hug and to tell you, “Mom, everything will be
fine.”
Or when you have stories to share – just for him, what do you do then?
Grief is like the waves in the ocean. It’s always there. There are days
when it’s calm that you don’t even notice it, and yet there are moments when
they strongly crash on the rocks and the sand.
So how do you shield yourself from the crashing waves?
You just do.
There will be serene moments when you hear the powerful waves and not be
afraid, because you know in your heart that the tide will rise and fall but, at any moment,
the ocean will be smooth even with the ripples on the surface.
And then there’s the horizon.
Even with the uncertainties of the waves, looking out to the ocean to the
horizon, my Mom feels calmness, pure peace.
There may be times when she might be brought to her knees knowing she won’t
be able to touch Dad’s face again, but seeing the horizon, being in the ocean
she feels that he’s just at the other end.
Walking along the shore, getting her feet wet, feeling the breeze, is like
being in the same room as he is – in that moment, she feels like she’s walking
hand in hand with Dad.
Photos and videos taken using my iPhone6+ (no filter) on various trips: Black Beach in Bicol, Philippines, Sunset on board Anthem of the Seas, Florida beach, and on board Liberty of the Seas,