Remembering My Grandad

Last Sunday I went to visit the grave of my mum’s dad, who I called Bronco. He was a wonderful man and I often thought that the word gentleman was invented just for him. If he was alive he would have been 98 but he died over 10 years ago. Mum and I planted a primula on his grave as he adored flowers, flowers and animals were his passion.

As mum and I walked to his grave, Mum was visibly shaken by how many graves were of her school friends. She is 76 and it touched me. You somehow always believe your parents will be around – despite losing my dad 3 years ago. I looked at my mum and saw her fragility, I saw, maybe for the first time, that she is ageing and slowing down. As I cuddled her I felt that total love that you have for a parent. I rely on her, I love her and don’t want to lose her. Yet, I know that the one thing that you cannot stop is death. It is the only certainty about life. All you can do is to cherish the life you have together and make each moment special.

Every one of us comes into this world and leaves a legacy, each day we create part of that legacy…..and I hope that I can create a legacy like Bronco – that in each interaction that I enjoy, I leave the person feeling better than before.